


Time Flies

by EavingMal



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: AU, M/M, Slow Burn, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-08-12 00:37:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 48
Words: 78,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7913617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EavingMal/pseuds/EavingMal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Man in the Moon created Jack Frost eighty years ago, and hasn't said a thing since. But apparently he told North that it's vitally important that Jack go and visit a little island called Berk, where strange creatures have started hanging around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jack Frost

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks in advance for reading this. This is a slight AU. I’ve moved the dates back a little; in this version, Jack became Jack Frost during the much earlier Spanish colonization of America in the late 1400s/early 1500s, meaning Berk is a Viking colony off the coast of Scotland, who have been established for a long time and intermingled with the local Scots long ago, but are too far from the mainland (and were too busy with dragon attacks) to have significant contact or to share much technological advancement. 
> 
> The story takes place just before (and instead of) the second HTTYD movie – first because awkward-Dad-Stoick is my everything and I needed him in the story, second because Hiccup’s character arc kinda ends in the second movie and that’s no fun, and third because it changed a whole lot of the status quo in Berk and I was too lazy to think out all the consequences. So pre-HTTYD2 is what you get.
> 
> (Also, for both series, I have seen the movies but not read the books, so we’re going with movie canon and some stuff from the wikis where I looked things up)

“But as she brushed the creature’s lank, wet hair, the motion soothed it so that it fell asleep. So as not to disturb it, she untied her apron strings and eased herself out from under the man-beast, and left it sleeping on the grass while she ran inside her house to safety!”

Jack Frost chuckled as the children around the fire gasped. The woman telling the story looked to be only just younger than him.

Jack stopped himself there and sighed. He wondered if he’d ever stop thinking of himself as ‘young’.

He really ought to think of himself as an old man by now – more than threescore years. Almost fourscore, but he had to really think back to the number now.

Jack stood up on his tree branch, and stretched his legs as the children were denied another story on the grounds of it being suppertime. He stepped up the branches until his head poked out the top of the tree.

“Time to go home, Wind!” he called, and immediately his hair and cloak began to ruffle. He jumped up into the gust and let the wind carry him away. It wasn’t quite time for him here yet, in England, but the nights were getting colder – he could tell, even if he didn’t _feel cold_ per se. He’d be back in the next few months.

Or. That young woman had a few stories even he hadn’t heard yet. Maybe winter should come early here this year.

He grinned. He was over the ocean now, whipping past the world high in the sky where the Wind was strong and fast.

Wait. What was that?

He let the wind drop him down closer to the ocean, and looked around. He was sure he’d seen something under the surface. Was it a school of fish? A whale?

He’d lost the shape somewhere among the waves. He looked around. Where …

As the shape loomed up under him, he lost control of the winds for a moment and went catapulting upwards, head over feet, until he finally managed to stop and fly back to where it had been.

It wasn’t a large shape. Well, it was larger than him, but that wasn’t saying a lot. But he couldn’t quite get past the noise it had made. Had it … _whinnied_?

He’d lost the shape in the ocean again, and this time, he didn’t really feel like trying to get up close and personal with it. He shrugged and the wind lifted him - this time more of a gentle tumble upwards – until he was speeding across the sky again.

 

~

 

Jack touched down in a clearing, next to a large pond. It wasn’t time for winter yet here, either, so the reflection of the Moon was still distorted by the ripples.

There was a village nearby, but it was definitely too late for stories now, so Jack didn’t bother going. He sat down on the grass, laying his staff across his lap, and looked up at the sky. “Well,” he said to the Moon, “I had a run-in with some sort of creature on my way here. Either I’m listening to too many children’s stories just before bedtime, or I’m plain going crazy. I’d appreciate a pointer, either way.”

The Moon did not reply, just as he hadn’t since he’d given Jack Frost his name.

“Going on sixty years of silence, huh?” Jack mused. “Well, as long as you’re still listening, I suppose.”

He settled in and closed his eyes. He was just drifting off to sleep when a noise in the water made him crack an eye open.

There was a figure crouched over the pond, almost indistinguishable in its torn robe and mane of shaggy hair.

Jack opened his eye a little more and watched as the figure, humming in a high, reedy voice, dipped a bucket into the water and somehow folding its robes over the bucket, stole back into the trees.

Then it paused. The humming stopped. It turned towards Jack, and through his open eye, he saw the figure turn and look at him.

Fast as blinking, the figure was nearly on top of him. He yelped and scrambled back, trying to get his staff in a better position to defend himself, but before he could, the thing had grabbed him by the arm. It hauled him into an uncomfortable position, bent backwards, staff stuck sideways and under one of his feet, where he couldn’t move it without falling. He could see both the creature’s bright green eyes now, embedded in bluish skin, and around its waist, a belt of tanned hides.

“Hmm. Bit old,” the figure croaked. A quick swipe of its hand and Jack felt it slash the skin of his chin, and then blood trickle.

The figure’s hand disappeared under the robe, and a drawn-out sucking noise came from somewhere under the huge eyes that were still staring at him.

Jack finally managed to work the staff into a striking position, and swung it hard, but then the hand dropped him, and his staff went flying out of his hand as he, unbalanced, fell to the ground. He scrambled after the staff in a blind panic and held it out in front of him.

The robed figure turned and left the clearing.

“No good,” Jack heard it mutter. “Not human. Not child. Not lamb. No good.”

Jack gripped the staff for a few moments more, heart pounding, limbs shaking.

What had it been doing there?

At _his_ pond?

He ran a hand through his white hair. _His_ pond. _His_ home town.

Softly, staff held ready, he stole into the woods after the figure.

After an hour or so of searching and finding no trace of the robed figure in the surrounding woods, Jack returned to the pond and threw his staff down in disgust.

“Could really use some help,” Jack said to the Moon, wiping his hand down his chin. The wound was not deep, but the crust over it was annoying him already.

The Moon did not reply.

Jack sighed and leaned back. He turned first one way, then the other, and finally gave up.

He slept in a tree over the village square instead.


	2. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may notice that North pops up a lot in this story. This has absolutely nothing to do with how fun he is to write. Not at all. Perish the thought.  
> (I’m lying. It’s entirely because he’s fun to write).

Jack woke to the sounds of the children playing chase in the square in between adults gathering water from the pond. The air smelled like toasting bread and hearthfires.

Jack breathed deep and exhaled slowly. He truly wished it were time for winter here. Maybe it was time to go north again.

“Wind?” he called, and the wind picked up around him and carried him away.

Once the ground underneath him was snow again, he touched down near a village. He grinned. Time to have some fun.

There was a huge _whump_ noise, and next to him a whitish-silver portal opened. A huge man, white of beard and dressed in a huge overcoat and hat, with his sleeves rolled up to clearly display his NAUGHTY and NICE tattoos on each arm, stepped through.

“Jack Frost!” the man bellowed.

Jack sighed. “Hello, North. Listen, I know about last month, but you should know, I was only …”

North raised an eyebrow. “Last month? I thought it was month before.”

Whoops. Busted. “Uh. Yeah. Month before. Sorry. Lost control of the wind. Won’t happen again. Hope the glass is alright …”

“Glass will be fine. You, on the other hand …”

Jack winced. “One more chance. Got it, North, sir!”

“You have no more chances, only the fact I am too busy to be forever chasing you,” North told him. “But I come now with message.”

“Message?” Jack asked. “I didn’t know you made Christmas wishes back …”

“Stop talking. Listen for longer than three seconds, yes? Good. Man in Moon sends message.”

Jack glanced at the sky, where the Moon couldn’t be seen in the current-twilight, and raised an eyebrow. He thought of asking why the Man in the Moon couldn’t pass the message on himself, but he decided to wait until after North had finished speaking, given the old man’s mood. North was obviously still getting over their last encounter. He liked North, he really did, even if they didn’t get along, and he didn’t want to lose the old man’s good humour permanently.

“Manny says go to Barbarian Islands. Place called Berk.”

“Why?”

“Manny did not say. Maybe he has job.”

“This isn’t just to get me away from your workshop is it?” Jack called after North as the old man turned back towards his Portal.

North laughed, a deep belly laugh. “No, is real message. If I want to tell you to stay away from elves and toys, I tell you myself.”

Jack watched the portal disappear.

He looked wistfully over at the village, where the children were skating on a frozen pond.

“You’re a very inconvenient old man, North,” Jack said. He walked over to the pond and touched it with his staff – a few extra inches of ice for good measure – and hopped into the air.

“Barbarian Isles,” he told the Wind, and was carried off into the sky.

 

 ~

 

He was passingly familiar with the Isles already – it got Winter early every year. But he couldn’t remember ever paying particular attention to it. It was a rough place, more cliff than anything sane people could actually live on. He liked to take some time every year to play with the children there, though, who on the whole didn’t have a lot of time to enjoy themselves, not since that whole … thing … with the dragons. Though that seemed to have cleared up in recent years. Now, the children rode their own dragons, and Jack had more than a few happy memories of coasting through the sky, keeping the wind steady under them as they learned to ride dragons only barely older than they were.

The islands under him were green still, except for the lingering patches of snow that never really went away in this part of the world. Then he found it. Berk. The city clinging right on the edge of the islands. Ships were docked in the harbour – or rather, next to the questionably stable wood-and-rope stairs that led down to the ocean.

A whoop sounded in the distance, and then a group of dragons came hurtling towards him. Jack moved aside on the wind and watched them go past – six of them on different dragons, led by a young man on a Night Fury, who passed just near Jack, eyes focused on the end point of his dragon’s turn, so that for a moment Jack very nearly thought the dragon rider was looking at him.

Jack watched them dive and turn back towards the village. He followed. He hoped the Man in the Moon might explain what he needed to do from here, but he’d see what he could find out by exploring first.

He touched down in the village, and was immediately walked through by a group of villagers hurrying off to do something or other. He gritted his teeth. He’d never get used to that feeling.

He glanced up at the sky, where unfortunately, the sun was still shining. There wouldn’t be any word from the Man in the Moon yet.

Two weird creatures. Both near water.

He should check the cliffs first.

 

 ~

 

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III turned to see that his friends were keeping up with Toothless, who hadn’t been taken out for a proper flight in days and was far too enthusiastic, and came face to face with a stranger floating in mid-air. Hiccup just barely had time to register his surprise before Toothless was turning and he was at the wrong angle to look back.

He had been around Hiccup’s age, perhaps a bit younger, with big, startled blue eyes, white hair and a staff. He’d been … just floating there.

Hiccup turned Toothless around in a huge, diving arc, to see if he could catch another glimpse of the stranger. He heard Fishlegs whoop as the others followed him. Good. They weren’t too far behind.

He looked up, past the others. Yes – there was definitely a boy there, holding a huge staff like a shepherd’s crook, flying towards their village.

“Slow down a bit, Bud,” he said to Toothless, pulling the dragon back so that Astrid caught up to him.

“Do you see that?” he shouted to her over the sound of the wind, pointing at the boy.

“What?” Astrid asked.

Hiccup leaned closer to Astrid, his finger following the boy’s path through the sky. “There! Some strange kid, do you see him? White hair, staff, brown cloak?”

“What kind of dragon is he riding?” Astrid squinted.

“He isn’t …” Hiccup began, then stopped. Astrid had missed him. “Forget it. He’s gone now.”

“Alright,” Astrid shrugged. “Hey – let’s run the stone pillars near the cliffs.”

“You sure?” Hiccup asked. “I could have sworn last time you said, what was it? ‘If you ever take me to these accursed pillars again, Hiccup, I will personally tear out your liver’?”

He grinned at her. She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure,” she said. “You know not to take me too seriously when I’m angry.”

She punched him in the arm, hard enough for it to smart. Hiccup watched her drop back to tell the others what they were doing.

He heard Snotlout repeating very nearly his own words and Astrid’s exasperated sigh, and glanced back over toward the village.

Had he been imagining things? No, he was sure he’d seen a young man, clear as day, flying towards Berk without a dragon.


	3. Dragon Training

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pros of having invisible characters: Creative ways of learning names.  
> Cons of having invisible characters: Creative ways of learning names.

Jack kicked a rope, causing the wooden stairs to wobble just the tiniest bit. The cliffs had been a dead end – nothing whatsoever of interest there, except a dragon and its young rider flying dangerously close to the cliffs. Nothing a breath of wind couldn’t fix, of course.

Well, it was nearly sunset. With any luck, in a few hours, he’d be able to talk to the Man in the Moon and then he’d have a good idea of where to go next.

He jumped and backflipped up over the cliff and onto the ledge, looking out over the sea.

Time to find a good vantage spot. There weren’t many places that wouldn’t be filled with villagers on an island this small, and he couldn’t have people walking through him when he was trying to talk to the Man in the Moon.

There weren’t many trees around this particular part of the island, but maybe if he went out behind the village a ways he could find one.

He turned and went to jump up onto the wind when he noticed the same group who had flown past before on their dragons. The leader, the one who had been riding the Night Fury, glanced over the cliffs, right through Jack, but quickly looked away as the girl next to him, who was only just shorter than him, asked him a question.

“Wind!” Jack shouted and jumped onto the breeze.

 

~

 

Astrid had taken their flight to the Pillars much better than the previous time, so the group of youths who returned to the village for dinner was a jovial one.

Snotlout was recounting (again) the story of how he and Hookfang had narrowly avoided one of the pillars to a polite Fishlegs and the heckling of the twins when Hiccup nearly started out of his skin.

The boy from the air, with the white hair and the staff, was looking out over the cliff. He turned to survey the village, and looked _right at_ Hiccup, who turned away quickly, embarrassed.

Astrid frowned. “What are you looking at?” she asked, glancing up to follow his gaze.

Hiccup looked up again, glad to see that the boy had turned to look out over the village again, and wouldn’t catch Hiccup staring at him. He gestured, but the words died on his lips when he realised that not only Astrid, but the other four as well, were staring out over the cliff, thinking there was something in the distance.

“Thought I saw … something in the water,” Hiccup said. “Gone now – must have been a trick of the light.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t your _flying boy_ from before?” Astrid asked, nudging Hiccup in the ribs.

That clinched it. Astrid was looking right at him and couldn’t see him.

“Flying boy?” Ruffnut asked. “Was he cute?”

Astrid grinned at Hiccup. “Well, was he?”

“What, you expect me to be any judge?” Hiccup protested.

“Maybe he was a troll!” Tuffnut said.

“Yeah!” Ruffnut agreed. “Could have been one of those trolls you were always looking for as a kid, right, Hiccup?”

“Ha, ha,” Hiccup said. “Flying trolls. I’ll have to tell Gobber to sleep with his axe as well as his stabbing hook.”

“WIND!” a voice bellowed from behind them, and Hiccup yelped in surprise. Everyone looked around, including Hiccup, just in time to see the boy with the staff tumble into the air like the world’s largest leaf floating on the breeze.

Astrid was looking at him with a very suspicious expression.

“Uh, Hiccup?” Snotlout asked. “What was that?”

“Nothing,” Hiccup lied. “Just … I’m so smart I even startle myself sometimes!”

Astrid rolled her eyes, and Snotlout groaned.

“Whatever,” Tuffnut said. “Hey, who’s up for some night training tonight?”

Everyone turned to look at Hiccup.

“Always time for night training?” Astrid said hopefully.

“I’m in,” Hiccup said. “What about … stealth or maneuverability? We’ll go up to the treeline and try and take the dragons through the canopy. Paint tag arrows – After an hour, the one with the least marks wins?” That was the way the white-haired boy had gone, so maybe they could still catch a look at him.

“You’re on!” Astrid said. “You’re enthusiastic today, Hiccup.”

“Well,” Hiccup said. “Toothless could use the challenge.”

“What, don’t you give him enough of a challenge?” Tuffnut asked. “Have you finally learned to fly him without falling off?”

Hiccup rubbed a fading bruise on his arm. “It’s called ‘gliding’ and for your information, we’ve made great progress. Right, Toothless?”

Toothless grumbled.

“Let’s just go flying before Hiccup decides to run off on us again. We might not see him for weeks,” Astrid said, and started hurrying off towards the dragon stables, followed closely by the twins shouting something about missing dinner.

Hiccup shot one last glance up at the tree-covered hills behind the village.

 

~

 

Jack lay in the top branches of the tree, amongst the leaves, swaying gently in the breeze. His staff was lying next to him, jammed between a few forks in the tree, secure and safe. It was just gone sunset, and the Moon was just beginning to rise. He had only to wait until the Moon was fully over the horizon.

Down in the village, everyone was finishing their dinner. As the Moon grew higher, Jack realised that someone was prepping dragons for a ride.

He squinted. Impossible to tell who from this distance. Oh, well. It would be fun to watch the dragons while he waited for the Man in the Moon to talk to him.

The dragons were coming to the treeline.

Jack frowned. Once was fluke. Twice was coincidence.

Three times?

He glanced up at the Moon. “Is this you?” he asked. “Is this my sign?”

The Moon didn’t answer him. It was three-quarters full, and hanging large above the horizon now, its pocks and craters highlighted. Jack could see the figure humans called the Man in the Moon in the markings, but as usual, that image neither moved, nor did he receive any communication from it. Jack wasn’t even sure what he was supposed to be looking for.

“You sent me a message!” Jack shouted at the Moon. “You might at least give me a few details!”

The Moon hung silent in the air.

Jack leaped to his feet and picked up his staff. “What do you want from me?” he screamed into the night.

With a sigh, he flopped back down into the tree, burying himself among the leaves, leaving only the top of his staff poking out like an errant branch.

The dragons grew quiet as they reached the tree line, except for a faint rustle that told Jack they were all going in different directions. Then silence.

Jack’s curiosity got the better of him, and he swung down under the canopy, hanging from a branch, trying to figure out where the dragons were.

He heard a rustle to his left and then to his right.

Then a twang and a thunk and a scream of “Not fair!”

They were playing a game!

Jack grinned, and leaped over to the next tree, following the sound of the cry.

 

~

 

By the time he got there, the dragons had long since separated, but at least one of them was easy as pie to follow. It was a Gronckle, buzzing like an overgrown bee through and between trees, carrying its hefty rider, who held a bow in one hand and an arrow with a huge, bulbous yellow head in the other. He muttered to himself as he rode his dragon, and Jack could tell that he wasn’t the one that had been hit earlier.

The young man on the Gronckle glanced around the forest nervously, like he expected one of his companions to be behind every tree branch.

Jack shook his head. Then, the young man nudged the Gronckle down onto the ground, dismounted, and walked with his dragon through the trees. They made a bit of a rustle, but nothing compared to the Gronckle’s buzzing wings.

Whoever this kid was, he was no fool, Jack realised, following from above. That sort of creativity demanded a reward.

He followed the boy with the yellow arrows and scouted ahead for him. Ah-hah! The girl on the Deadly Nadder! She was carrying blue arrows with her, nocked but not pulled back, and was slowly moving her head side to side as her Nadder paused, hopped between branches, cocked its head, and then hopped again.

Jack made his way back to the yellow-bowed boy and rustled a branch off to his right. The boy bit back a yelp, and looked at the Gronckle. He nocked his arrow and began to creep towards the sound. Jack, chuckling all the way, led him to the young woman on the Nadder.

When the Gronckle and his rider got close enough Jack gently pulled back the leaves separating the two. The boy’s eyes widened and he seized his chance. He fired.

A cry of rage and frustration came from the young woman, then an angry face through the leaves. She blew hair out of her face.

“Sorry, Astrid!” the boy shouted, throwing up his arms to cover his head, still holding his bow.

She shook her head. “Good shot, Fishlegs,” she said.

Jack quietly repeated the names to himself, so as to remember them.

“You’re not mad that I’m not flying?” Fishlegs asked, looking from between his arms. “Snotlout was.”

Astrid made a dismissive noise. “Your Gronckle is so loud I’d have heard you coming from across the forest if you were flying. I should expect you to be on the ground, since that’s the place where you’re quietest.”

Fishlegs beamed. “Thanks, Astrid!” he said, and turned to lead the Gronckle away in a different direction.

Jack watched Astrid count silently under her breath, then pursue Fishlegs quietly through the trees on the Nadder.

He frowned. That wasn’t very sporting!

He followed her until she caught up with Fishlegs, watched as she nocked the arrow onto her bow, and just as she was about to fire, blew ice onto the arrowhead. The extra weight made the arrow fall short, and Fishlegs, startled by the noise, immediately mounted his Gronckle and flew away.

Astrid cursed, and went to fetch her arrow. When she picked it up, she gasped, looking at the tip. She pulled another out of her quiver and compared the tips.

She flicked the ice, breaking it off the arrowhead, made another quiet noise of frustration, and mounted her Nadder again, yellow splotch still standing out bright on her shoulder.

Jack chuckled. “Serves you right for being unsportsmanlike,” he said out loud. “But Jack,” he responded to himself, leaping along between the trees, “Isn’t Fishlegs also being unsportsmanlike by enlisting your help?” He pushed off a branch. “No, not at all, my friend. Because Fishlegs, you see, has no idea he is being helped, and so he cannot be unsportsmanlike. I, on the other hand, am absolutely being unsportsmanlike. But what they don’t know can’t hurt them.”

 

~

 

As soon as the dragons were in the canopy, Hiccup took Toothless up and away from the trees. Camouflaged against the night sky, they circled the woods area for a few turns, looking for anything unusual. He saw a few branches rustle, but nothing else.

He patted Toothless. “Stay sharp, Bud,” he said. “Let me know if you see anything.”

Toothless growled an affirmative.

Hiccup tried to follow the rustling trees with his eyes. If he was a mysterious, white-haired flying boy, where would he be …?

 

~

 

Jack’s eyes were watering. Getting Fishlegs to score a point each on the bickering twins had almost been too easy. He hadn’t even had to stop them firing while he retreated – they did well enough fighting amongst themselves that Fishlegs was long gone by the time they regained their composure enough to follow him.

Jack wiped his eyes on his sleeve and decided to follow the twins for a while.

He heard a whistle and dodged just as two blue arrows flew past him, each hitting a twin directly in the cheek.

“Ow!”

“Hey!”

“Do you two even understand the _concept_ of ‘stealth’?” Astrid asked, throwing up her hands.

“Nope!” the male twin said happily, stretching out his jaw. “That stings!”

Astrid looked over at them. “Fishlegs is doing well,” she noted smugly.

“This _idiot_ wasn’t looking out,” the female twin said, jerking a thumb at her brother, and then folding her arms.

“ _I_ wasn’t looking out?” her brother asked indignantly. “He was on _your_ side of the dragon!”

“Ruffnut! Tuffnut!” Astrid said, exasperated. “This is training. Can’t you be serious?”

The twins huffed and rode their dragon away, whispering their ongoing argument to each other.

Jack watched as Astrid looked around, listened, and fired an arrow. It burst through some leaves and hit someone who shouted. “Aw, come on! Not fair, Astrid!”

Astrid grinned a smug grin and guided her Nadder away from the man she’d just hit. Being the only one he’d not yet seen around, Jack assumed that was Snotlout. A quick peek through confirmed that he was indeed the sixth member of the group.

But where – in that case – was the boy on the Night Fury?

Jack started following Fishlegs again, content to play the game for now.

 

~ 

 

By the time they all grouped together again, Jack watching them leave from the canopy of one of the trees, Fishlegs was stunned but obviously pleased by the praise they were all heaping on him.

“Great shooting, Fishlegs!” the male twin was saying (Jack still didn’t know which was Ruffnut and which was Tuffnut). “You even managed to hit me!”

“It wasn’t fair, him being on the ground like that,” Snotlout said.

“You’re just a sore loser,” Astrid told the boy primly. “You should have learned to expect him on the ground after the first time.”

None of them had been able to decide whether the twins or Snotlout had been the losers – both were covered in an equal amount of colourful powder, but the twins were mainly covered in their own green powder, whereas Snotlout was mostly covered with other people’s. Astrid said that made Snotlout the loser, but the boy on the Night Fury, who had joined them completely untouched, said that made the twins the losers, since they’d fought too much amongst themselves. The two of them had bickered for a while, then agreed to disagree, and called it a tied last. But not before Astrid got a dig at the boy on the Night Fury about his pristine appearance.

“Fishlegs had the right idea,” Astrid said. “You have to actually find people to score points!”

“Yeah,” he said, a little distantly, then rejoined with, “I can live with breaking even.”

Astrid rolled her eyes.

“Good thing for you he kept out of it,” the male twin told Fishlegs. “On that Night Fury, none of us would ever have seen him coming.”

The Night Fury made a very unsubtle show of preening himself. The dragon’s rider laughed. “Who, Toothless? How many times have you fallen off perches this week, Bud?”

The Vikings laughed, and Toothless grumbled.

“So where were you hiding out, Hiccup?” Astrid asked.

“Ah, here and there,” Hiccup replied. “If you couldn’t find me, you don’t deserve to know.”

Jack lost the sound of their voices then. He sighed and climbed back up to the top of the tree. He looked up at the Moon, but decided to give up trying for an answer.

He was just settling down to sleep when he heard the scream.


	4. Cliff Face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ruffnut knows what’s up.  
> Also, as I mentioned a while back in the comments, I wanted to keep a weekly schedule unless I found time to finish the edits on later chapters. Well, I just finished a week of assessments and decided to do a little writing as a reward, so all the edits are now 100% complete, and from now on the fic will update twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays.

Jack reached the figure first, with the wind to help him. It was a child, dangerously close to the cliff. He reached down, and was about to put his hand on its shoulder when he remembered that he’d go straight through the child.

“Right,” he said to himself. He had to get the kid away from the cliff edge, first. But how?

“Who are you?” the child asked. “Can you help me?”

It knew he was there. Therefore, it was not human. He stepped back and brandished his staff at it. “What are you?” he demanded.

“Lost,” the thing sobbed.

Jack hopped off the rock and made a little circle around the figure. Its head was buried in its knees, and its tunic was so large that it concealed any features the child might have had. Jack stepped back onto the cliff and eyed it warily.

“We found them!” Hiccup shouted, landing Toothless with a thud and dismounting. “Toothless, let the others know!”

Toothless’s neck convulsed and he fired a purple ball of dragon fire upwards, where it exploded into actual, red flame.

“What are you doing here?” Hiccup asked in a hard voice.

“Doesn’t have much of a way with kids,’ Jack muttered. He held his staff at the ready, watching Hiccup. If he came any closer, Jack would have to stop him somehow.

Hiccup advanced towards the cliff edge with Jack and the child on it.

“That’s close enough,” Jack said to himself, and jerked his staff upwards

A wall of ice sprouted from the cliff face, and Hiccup cursed as he jumped back.

“Right, that should hold him for a bit till I figure this out,” Jack muttered, turning his attention back to the bundle of hair and tunic on the cliff edge.

“Toothless,” Hiccup said, and suddenly there a coughing noise, and a huge hole in Jack’s ice wall. Jack cursed himself for forgetting the dragon.

“Now, just what the hell is going on?” Hiccup asked, climbing through the hole.

Jack stood up, and rolled his eyes. “Don’t have time,” he muttered. Another ice wall would barely hold the Viking. What else could he …

“Don’t have time for _what_?” Hiccup asked, looking directly at Jack.

Jack nearly dropped his staff.

Hiccup hadn’t been asking the bundle of hair and tunic that most definitely, Jack was certain, was _not_ a child what it was doing there. He hadn’t been talking to himself when he asked what was going on. He was talking to Jack. Hiccup could _see_ him.

It had been so long.

Hiccup’s look of suspicion turned to confusion. “Um,” he said. “What’s going on here?”

Jack, still unable to come up with words, stepped forward and jabbed Hiccup in the stomach with his staff, stepping between him and the bundle, and causing Toothless to growl and raise his hackles.

“I have a dragon,” Hiccup pointed out. “Now, just give us back the child, and nobody has to …”

“That’s not a child,” Jack said. “Hiccup, that’s not…”

The grip on his staff faltered again. If Hiccup could see him, maybe … maybe that was a real child after all.

Hiccup took advantage of his hesitation, knocking the staff, and darting past him. Jack turned, desperate to grab Hiccup, but he was just too slow.

Hiccup reached the bundle, picked up the tunic, only for the hair and sand that had filled it to come pouring out. He looked up in Jack in confusion, and then his eyes widened as the ground broke below him and Jack watched him disappear.

 

~

 

It took only a second, and Jack was already moving towards Hiccup. He leaped, shouting “WIND!”

Hiccup grabbed the crook of Jack’s staff on his way down, and then the wind picked both of them up. Hiccup was heavier than Jack, or perhaps just more human, so the wind couldn’t do much more than slow their fall, which might just be enough to keep Hiccup from plummeting to his death.

Then there was a whoosh of air, and while Jack was trying to wrest control of the winds again, the weight on the end of his staff abruptly vanished. He panicked, tumbled over, managed to get himself feet down again, and looked down to where …

Where was Hiccup?

Then Toothless unfolded himself and Hiccup rolled away from the dragon. Toothless gave him a glare and grumbled at him. Hiccup chuckled and rubbed the dragon’s head, and said something Jack didn’t quite hear.

Jack let the Wind take him back up to the top of the cliff, dropping the last half a foot onto the ground.

Hiccup mounted Toothless, and launched back up the cliff. To Jack’s surprise, Hiccup was laughing so hard he was having trouble keeping his seat on the dragon.

Jack wasn’t sure he could take another mood swing today. He groaned, laid his staff across his legs, and put his forehead on his hand. “Dare I ask what’s so funny?”

Hiccup managed to calm down enough to answer, sliding off Toothless and giving the Night Fury a pat. “Sorry. You just … do you always flail so much when you fly?”

“I’d like to see _you_ fly without a dragon,” Jack said, but had to grin. He’d probably looked very undignified, he’d admit that.

“You just did, I think,” Hiccup said. “How did you know? That the child wasn’t …”

Jack looked away. “Uh … Just a hunch?”

Hiccup narrowed his eyes. “It said something to you,” he said. “That’s how you knew!”

Jack looked Hiccup over again. He was sharp, much sharper than Jack had realised. “How’d you figure that out?”

“I’d have to be dense not to,” Hiccup said. “I’ve only been trying to get the others to see you all afternoon.”

A tiny hope Jack hadn’t even realised he felt was crushed. So it wasn’t over. This wasn’t the last day he spent invisible. “Well, what does that say about you?” he joked, but it fell flat and he could tell.

Hiccup tilted his head. “Did I say something?”

Jack shook his head. “No,” he said, then tried to change the topic again. “Is that why I didn’t see you in the woods with the others?”

“So you were in there after all!” Hiccup said. “Wait. Fishlegs did suspiciously well at training today …”

Jack raised his hands. “I barely did anything!” he said. “We just … had a little fun, is all.”

Hiccup shrugged. “It’s a welcome change from Astrid winning,” he said. “Is that what you’re here for? Fun?”

“What’s the point of anything if you can’t have a little fun while doing it? You’ve got to enjoy the moment,” Jack said, then glanced over his shoulder. “Whoops. Guess your friends are here.”

A little flutter of hope flared in his chest. Maybe there had been some change. Maybe Hiccup had been just the start. Maybe he’d convinced them enough that …

“Hiccup!” Astrid called.

“Uh, hi,” Hiccup said. He glanced over at Jack, who shrugged. “Boy have I got a long story for you guys.”

“We saw Toothless’s signal,” Astrid began. “But …” she looked around, right past Jack, then back to Hiccup. “Looks like you didn’t find anyone?”

Jack’s heart sank again, and he let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. Well, not much had changed, he told himself. He shouldn’t be disappointed – nothing had actually gotten worse. He was just … back to normal, was all.

“And then we heard a huge crash!” Snotlout shouted, waving his hands.

Hiccup looked down at the pile of rocks on the ground. “That’s, uh, part of the huge story,” he said. “Let’s get back to the village.”

The others turned. Hiccup gave Jack a desperate look. “What do I tell them?” he hissed.

Jack opened his mouth and closed it again. “I’ll tell you as you go,” he said.

“What?”

“Just talk,” Jack said. “I can give you the answers if you need them.” Jack realised he was suddenly grinning like an idiot. A group. An almost honest-to-goodness real conversation!

Hiccup was giving him that puzzled look again.

“Are you coming, Hiccup?” Snotlout called

“Or are you going to keep making googly eyes at the cliff face?” Ruffnut teased.

“I nearly died just then. A little sympathy, please?” Hiccup shouted back. “Come on, Toothless.”

“Come on, Wind,” Jack said, and lifted off the cliff face to follow them

Hiccup gave him a puzzled look, but didn’t say anything.

“Long story,” Jack told him. “I don’t so much fly as ask the wind for a little help.”

Hiccup made a quick flailing motion, and Jack laughed.

“So, what’s this long story? Sooner you start, the sooner we get to sleep.” Astrid called over her shoulder.

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait till tomorrow to hear it when you’re rested?” Hiccup asked and faked a huge yawn.

Hiccup was nearly knocked off Toothless with the combined force of the others shoving him and shouting at him.

“Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, you will do no such thing!”

“I won’t sleep unless you tell us what happened!”

“And I’ll spend all that time I should be asleep throwing things at your house!”

“Fine, fine! Well, thank Toothless,” Hiccup said, and patted his dragon’s neck.

“You’re such a softie for that dragon,” Snotlout told Hiccup.

Hiccup made a face at him. “Anyway, Toothless followed the source of that screaming and we found this … little bundle of cloth and hair. Like a child wearing oversized clothes. Then … um …”

“You moved up to it, and it begged for help,” Jack supplied as Hiccup faltered.

Hiccup, to his credit, didn’t miss a beat. “Obviously, I thought that was the child. I got closer, and I … I guess I thought I heard it asking for help. I tried to pick it up …”

“What happened?” Ruffnut asked.

“Just cloth full of sand and hair,” said Hiccup. “And then the cliff collapsed. Good thing Toothless has good reflexes.”

“This isn’t like one of your troll stories again, is it?” Snotlout asked.

Hiccup scoffed. “What do you think I am, nine?”

“Pfft, troll,” Jack said. “When was the last time you heard of a troll casting a magic spell?”

“Besides, when was the last time you heard of a troll casting a magic spell?” Hiccup parroted, immediately eliciting snickers from the group.

“You listen to Gobber _way_ too much,” Tuffnut told him.

“But still,” Astrid said thoughtfully. “ _Something_ put that bundle up there.”

“Well, yeah,” Ruffnut said. “And … maybe some kind of pipe for the voices …”

“Yeah!” Tuffnut exclaimed. “And some huge kind of bird for the screaming noise! Maybe that’s why it was so hard to figure out where it was coming from!”

Jack looked between them. Huh. For all they teased him about the troll thing, they really seemed to take Hiccup at his word.

“But how’d they get the cliff to collapse?” Jack asked.

Hiccup relayed the question.

The others thought for a moment.

“You’d need to get up there and chisel a weak spot into rock,” Fishlegs said.

“Maybe tomorrow we should go look at that cliff, see if we can find where and how,” Astrid said. “This is weirding me out. I don’t like this.”

“Me neither,” said Hiccup.


	5. Getting to Know You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which we establish that the entire basis of this relationship is sass and sarcasm.
> 
> This goes up a day early because I'm going to be away this weekend and won't be able to post tomorrow. Happy reading everyone and I'll be back with your regularly-scheduled update on Tuesday.

The group unsaddled their dragons and headed their separate ways home. Jack walked with them, and didn’t say anything until they split up and he and Hiccup were alone again. Toothless walked between them, occasionally glancing back at Jack in a way Jack considered more than a little suspicious.

“So,” Jack said. “Just had to say the troll thing, didn’t you?”

Hiccup shook his head. “It was half out of my mouth before I realised what I was saying.”

“Must be an uncomfortable feeling.”

“Actually, it’s pretty familiar.” Hiccup looked over at Jack, and asked, “You didn’t say how you knew my name.”

Jack rubbed the back of his head. “Might have been keeping an ear out,” he said.

“You were following us,” Hiccup said. “All day.”

“I was not!”

“You just happened to show up everywhere we were?”

“I could say the same about you!”

Hiccup shrugged, and Jack suddenly wondered whether he’d seemed a bit too defensive. “I’m not angry. I mean, you did try to save my life.”

Toothless growled.

“I said ‘try to’, bud,” Hiccup said. “My point is, uh …”

“Jack,” Jack supplied. “Jack Frost.”

“My point is: Jack didn’t know you’re always saving me.”

Jack chuckled. “You’ve got a good friend there,” he said.

“We’ve been through a lot,” Hiccup said, scratching Toothless behind the ear-flap.

“I was talking to him,” Jack said, scratching the Night Fury’s other side.

“Don’t spoil him,” Hiccup warned. “He’s nearly unmanageable as it is.”

Jack chuckled again, but stopped scratching the Night Fury. “Well, for finding out there’s a strange invisible person hanging around your village, you seem pretty happy to just chat,” he said, trying to probe as casually as possible. His mind was still doing backflips at being seen, and he didn’t want to ruin it just yet, but he had to know. He had to know.

Hiccup looked away, and Jack’s stomach plummeted. “I don’t understand what’s going on,” he said. “But I also can’t see a good reason why I shouldn’t at least give you a chance.”

“You, uh … you took the whole ‘flying’ thing really well.” It was like a bruise. No matter how much he told himself it was a bad idea, he just couldn’t stop himself poking at it.

“Eh, I’ve seen it a few times today. Sometimes, you just learn to sort of … trust your eyes and go from there.”

“I wonder,” Jack said, looking over at Hiccup and Toothless. He could breathe again. This was going better than he expected!

“You wonder?”

“Why you?”

“Why me what?”

“Why are _you_ the only person who can see me?”

“I … honestly don’t know,” Hiccup said. “Maybe you are a troll? We should take you to Gobber to check.”

Jack laughed, more than half in relief that Hiccup was apparently comfortable enough to joke about the whole situation. “Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if that has something to do with it. North … it’s complicated … always said that people could see him because they believed in him. So, someone who spent their youth looking for trolls …”

“Everyone did,” Hiccup said. “Especially if they were raised anywhere near Gobber.”

“I think I do want to meet Gobber,” Jack said.

Hiccup pressed a hand to his mouth. “Oh! Oh, I can just imagine!”

Jack looked at Hiccup, surprised. “You’re secretly a prankster!” Something else bubbled up inside him, a word he hadn’t been letting himself think. _Friend_?

“I would never!” Hiccup said. “My wheelhouse is strictly,” he coughed and imitated his father’s voice, raising one hand and shaking a finger at thin air, “being irresponsible and avoiding my duties, and not appreciating the importance of staying in the forge and making decisions about sheep.” He lowered his hand. “Who needs pranks when you’ve got all … this?” He gestured to himself.

Jack suddenly felt a pressing need to change the subject. “I wonder if that other thing you said is the reason. You know, ‘you learn to sort of trust your eyes and go from there’.”

“Maybe,” Hiccup said. “Am I … the only person who can see you?”

“Only one I’ve found so far,” Jack said offhandedly. “Except North, Bunny, Sandy and Tooth. North is alright, but I’m pretty sure Bunny hates me and Tooth never has time. Neither does Sandy.”

“Why are you here?” Hiccup asked. “And, uh, I have to ask … you seem to have a somewhat questionable relationship with shoes …” he looked down at Jack’s bare feet.

“I’m a spirit of Winter,” Jack said, lifting a leg and wiggling his toes. Perhaps he’d better not get into his real purpose there just yet. “So, I guess it’ll be time for Winter to start here soon.”

Hiccup’s shoulders slumped. “Great,” he said. “Just what Berk needs – more Winter.”

Jack held up his hands and hastened to correct his mistake. “But I’m here right now because the Man in the Moon told me I should be here for something! He won’t tell me what it is, though. Then I kept running into you, and you can see me. I started to think I need to stick around here with you for a bit. Try and figure out what’s happening with the cliff-bundles. Winter isn’t coming just yet!”

Hiccup gave him an odd look. “You don’t need to look so freaked out,” he said. “It was a joke.”

“Oh,” Jack said, feeling very dense. “Sorry.”

Hiccup shrugged. “No problem.” He stopped and rested a hand on the door to his hut. “Um,” he said. “Look, I’m not sure what’s going on. I think I’ve got the invisible thing down, and the flying thing, but …”

“It’s all a bit much,” Jack said, his mouth moving without input from his mind, which had all of a sudden gone blank. “Yeah. Yeah, trust me. I know.”

Hiccup sighed. “We’ll find out what’s going on, even if it doesn’t involve a Man in the Moon or … rabbits and sand, or whatever.”

Jack nodded. “I understand,” he said. Oh, no. He wished he could go back and redo that whole conversation. He’d forgotten that humans didn’t always know about the rest of … he’d forgotten they didn’t …

He’d said too much. Too much, too fast. He must sound like he was making it all up. Or worse. He had a chance and he hadn’t thought and now he’d ruined that little piece of friendship he’d started building.

Hiccup stopped at the door, watching Jack. “Do you have somewhere to stay?” he asked.

“Yeah, of course,” Jack said. “I’m camped out just that way a little.” He pointed in a random inland direction.

“Alright,” Hiccup said. He and Toothless went inside, and Jack breathed a sigh of relief. He should have paid more attention. He wished he’d thought of a good lie. But there was plenty of time to think of something before tomorrow. He could still fix this.

He went back to his comfortable tree and settled down to sleep underneath the Moon.


	6. Investigation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You will never convince me that Toothless doesn’t hang out in Hiccup’s hut all night for the sole purpose of waking him up by attacking him. Never.

Hiccup woke, as usual, to Toothless jumping onto him.

“Nnngrrh,” he said. “Useless reptile. Get off!”

Toothless hopped away, giving Hiccup time to get up and get ready for the day.

After dressing, he sat down on his bed and looked over at Toothless.

“What do you reckon, Bud?” he asked.

Toothless cocked his head to the side, and rumbled in his throat.

“Jack Frost,” Hiccup said thoughtfully. “I dunno, Bud. He obviously believes everything he says.”

Toothless gurgled and held out his neck for Hiccup to scratch. Hiccup obeyed absently, though this seemed to make little difference to the dragon’s enjoyment of the exercise.

Hiccup groaned. “We have to figure out what’s going on anyway, so we might as well use his help. I just … he flies and he creates ice from nothing, Toothless! I’m having a really hard time figuring out what’s realistic and what isn’t.”

Toothless pulled away, shook himself out, and bounded towards the door.

“Guess that means it’s time for the day to start,” Hiccup said.

As Hiccup left the house, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bare foot.

Jack was sitting on his roof, one leg crossed up under him, the other dangling down. His elbow was on his knee, and his chin rested on his hand as he watched the sunrise.

“Morning,” he said absently.

“Morning,” Hiccup said. It was almost a shame to disturb Jack, when he seemed so engrossed in the sunrise.  “You must have gotten up early. What are you doing?”

Jack shrugged. “Not that long ago. And I’m just watching the sun. Enjoying the moment.”

A sudden thought hit Hiccup. “Uh … how much can you hear from there?”

“Toothless gets very excited in the mornings,” Jack said. “Not much else. Why? You say something embarrassing about me?” He finally looked down at Hiccup and grinned.

“Now, why would I do something like that?” Hiccup asked, turning his attention to the sunset. He was a terrible liar. He could feel Jack’s maddening grin on him. “Well,” he said, “Not about _you_ …”

“Oh?” Jack asked, jumping down from the roof. “That’s different, then.”

Hiccup frowned. “What? Different how? Different why?”

Jack shrugged. “I mean, I’d ask, but everything I come up with is probably more interesting anyway, so I’ll just make something up.”

Hiccup rolled his eyes, and started walking off with Toothless. “Come on, Bud,” he said.

The streets were full of people. Hiccup nodded and said hello as they passed, as Jack expertly dodged the crowds moving around and past people with twists of his shoulders and quick sidesteps.

He had had practice, obviously.

“Heading to breakfast, Hiccup?” Fishlegs asked, coming up from the sides.

“Yeah, you?” Hiccup stole a glance at Jack, to indicate where he was actually directing the question.

“Nah, I have supplies. Besides, I don’t think you want to be the one explaining a floating bowl and magical spoon.”

“Yeah,” Fishlegs said.

Hiccup stifled a snort.

The others joined them shortly after – the twins still rubbing their eyes and yawning, Snotlout exactly as he always was, and Astrid still red and panting from whatever morning routine she’d thought up for herself this time.

“Son!” a huge voice boomed. Hiccup looked up. Stoick was approaching through the crowds. As he approached, Jack floated up and out of his way, perching on one of the rafters.

“What’s this I hear about you falling off a _cliff_ yesterday?” Hiccup’s father asked him.

Hiccup put his head in his hands. In all the excitement and all the questions he had about Jack and the bundle of sand, he’d completely forgotten to tell his father. And now he was dead.

“Uh, so, Dad, boy, have I got a story for you! The weirdest thing happened yesterday …”

Stoick sighed. “Son, we have _talked_ about this…”

“I know,” Hiccup said. “Not a kid anymore, can look after myself, but you would really appreciate a heads-up if something serious happens. I know. I just … kinda forgot. I had a lot on my mind. Besides, I was fine. I had Toothless.”

“You always ‘just forget’,” Stoick said. “Hiccup, I need you to start taking some responsibility.”

“Will do, Dad.”

“Right. Remember next time.” Stoick shook a finger at Hiccup, and left.

“Oooooo,” Ruffnut said.

“Future Chief got in trooooouble,” Tuffnut joined in.

“Good to see that novelty never wears off,” Hiccup muttered, and pretend he didn’t notice Jack’s huge grin.

“Come on, it’s been _ages_ since you last got a public lecture,” Tuffnut said.

“I wish it was that long since I last got a private lecture, too,” Hiccup said. “Come on. We have some cliffs to go investigate.”

 

~

 

“See anything yet?” Hiccup called up to Astrid as she and Snotlout scoured the cliff face for signs of chisel marks, while the rest of them searched through the rubble at the bottom for anything they could find.

“Nothing yet!” Astrid shouted.

“We’ll find something soon!” Snotlout said. “We’ve got my hawklike eyes … Oh, and Astrid’s of course. She’s at _least_ as hawklike as me.”

Jack was walking over the rubble, occasionally poking something with his staff.

“Found anything?” Hiccup asked, directing the conversation to the group.

“A lot of rocks,” Ruffnut said.

“More rocks,” Tuffnut said.

“Uh, I think I might have found some sand?” Fishlegs said.

“Distinct lack of mundane explanations,” Jack said. As he stepped onto the top of a pile of rocks, the top one wobbled and the pile slipped from under him.

“Careful!” Hiccup said reflexively, as Jack stood on one foot, arms wheeling, until he got his balance back.

“Careful who?” Ruffnut asked.

“Uh, I was …” Hiccup began.

“Just startled by the rocks slipping,” Jack supplied, “Thought it was one of them.”

“I thought that rock slipping was one of you for a second.”

“Aw, you do care,” Tuffnut said.

Jack stepped back and away from the rock pile. “You’re welcome.”

 Hiccup looked over, and spotted something colourful under where Jack had been standing. “Hey, there’s something under there!”

Hiccup pulled a dirty, sandy green cloth with hair still clinging to it from the rocks. “That’s what’s left of the bundle on the cliff,” he said.

The others looked over it. Ruffnut pinched a corner. “It’s just plain wool,” she said. “It’s old and gross, though.”

Fishlegs picked one of the hairs off and shrugged. “I think it’s some sort of animal hair,” he said. “Looks a bit like … bear maybe? Compare it to Hiccup’s cloak.”

As Fishlegs and Ruffnut gathered around him, Tuffnut suddenly said, “What’s that?”

There, on the shore by the cliff, a hunched figure in a torn cloak was making its way towards the ocean with a bucket.

“Astrid?” Hiccup called. “Can you see better?”

She looked down, then looked over to where he was pointing. “Um … not from here. Hang on, I’m going to get closer.”

“Don’t do that!” Jack shouted. “Bad idea! Hiccup!”

“No, don’t!” Hiccup shouted.

Astrid looked down. “You know something?”

Snotlout rolled his eyes. “You’re such a worrywart, Hiccup. It’s OK, babe, I got this.” With a wink to Astrid, he and Hookfang started flying over the beach.

“Snotlout!” Hiccup shouted. “Don’t!”

“What’s got you so worked up?” Ruffnut asked.

Hiccup heard the rocks sliding against each other as Jack abandoned subtlety and started running towards Snotlout and the hooded figure.

Hiccup immediately followed.

The hunched figure collected its bucket of seawater, then turned to Snotlout.

“Uh, guys …” was all Snotlout had time to say before one wrinkled hand flicked at him. Hookfang’s eyes crossed and he began to list to the side, wings beating erratically. Snotlout began to slip out of his saddle.

Jack jumped and brought his staff back for a sweep.

The only thing Hiccup could think for a moment was _how am I going to explain the ice?_

But then Hookfang righted himself, in time to make a graceless landing. Snotlout slipped off the dragon and landed with a _thump_ on his back the rocks.

Hiccup, unreasonably relieved that Jack hadn’t needed to act, ran over.

Astrid flew Stormfly right past them, trying to pursue the hunched figure. Jack knelt next to Hiccup over Snotlout, who groaned.

“You alright?” Hiccup asked as the others gathered around.

Snotlout sat up. “Fine,” he said gruffly, and winced.

“Just take it slow,” Hiccup said, and started to look Hookfang over for injuries. It seemed like the dragon was mostly unharmed.

“I’m going with Astrid,” said Jack, and stood up, but Astrid was already returning in disgust.

“I lost her around a corner,” she said as she landed. “I don’t get it. There was nowhere for her to go!”

Hiccup sat back. “This,” he said, “Is officially weird.”

“How did you know?” Astrid asked him.

“About what?”

“You know. The … whatever that was?”

This time, Jack didn’t have to supply Hiccup with a lie. “Hey, I got thrown off a cliff yesterday,” he said. “Maybe I’m just a little wary of weird stuff.”

Snotlout raised a hand. “I think I know how you feel,” he said.

“Yeah, well,” Ruffnut said. “At least Hiccup’s dragon saved _him_.”

“Not fair! It wasn’t your fault, was it, Hookfang?” Snotlout said, giving his dragon a somewhat disoriented pat.

“Did you get a good look?” Hiccup asked, looking between Snotlout and Astrid.

“I did,” Snotlout said.

“Fishlegs, do you think you could do some research if Snotlout gives you a description?” Hiccup asked.

“Yeah!” Fishlegs said. “I can do that.”

“Alright,” Hiccup said. “I think we should get back to the village, then.”

Snotlout sat up, wincing. “I think my back is going to be one huge bruise,” he moaned.

“Need some ice for that?” Jack asked.

“We’ll get you something cold for it,” Hiccup said. Once the others were busy heading to their dragons, Fishlegs helping Snotlout onto his dragon, Hiccup took a moment to roll his eyes at Jack for that awful joke.

Once there, Fishlegs got straight to researching. The others took Snotlout to Gothi.

Hiccup glanced over Snotlout’s head at Jack, who was thoughtfully stroking a long cut on his chin. He didn’t seem to notice Hiccup looking.

Gothi took Snotlout in and shooed the rest out of her hut while she worked.

“Guess we’ve got the rest of the afternoon to ourselves, then,” Astrid said. “Until Fishlegs is done, at least.”

“Maybe we should go help him,” Hiccup suggested.

“Ew. Books. No, thanks,” Tuffnut said.

“Nobody was asking you,” Astrid said.

“Maybe we should go do our separate things for a while,” Hiccup said. He knew that tone of voice. Astrid was not impressed with how the day had gone, and probably needed to go beat up a few trees.

“Meet back for dinner,” Astrid said. “We’ll see what Fishlegs found out then.”

“Sure,” Hiccup said.

The twins were arguing again.

“All I’m saying,” Ruffnut said, “Is that it was a good thing we were on the ground, or you would have gone flying after that thing. Probably would have fallen off and broken your –”

“We ride the same dragon, dumbass,” Tuffnut said, and gave his sister a shove.

Ruffnut staggered sideways, and straight through Jack.

Jack convulsed, his whole body seeming to wince. Then again as Ruffnut dove back through him to grab his sister by her horned helmet. Jack stood still for a moment, breathing hard, one hand wrapped around his chest.

Astrid rolled her eyes. “I’m leaving. Uh … Hiccup?”

Hiccup looked back at her. “Sure,” he said. “See you at dinner.”

“You were staring off at something again,” she said. “Are you alright?”

“Fine,” Hiccup said. “I just … think I have an idea. I’ll tell you later, I just want to think it through first.”

“Alright,” Astrid said suspiciously.

“I’ll see you two later,” Hiccup said, and left the twins to figure out their fight by themselves. “I’m going to take Toothless flying.”

He headed off towards Gobber’s smithy, where he’d left Toothless’s new saddle – a design he wanted to try.

“Want to come flying?” he asked Jack.

“Always,” Jack said, a big, excited grin on his face.

Hiccup considered asking about so many things – the cut on his chin, his sudden panic at the hunched figure, his reaction when Tuffnut had fallen through him, but he decided to save it all for later. They’d all been too serious all day; it was time to forget it all and just go flying.


	7. Flying Solves Everything, pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course these two bond over flying. Also, Hiccup is about as bad at telling the truth as he is at lying.

****“Hey, Toothless!” Hiccup greeted the Night Fury. “I’ve got a new saddle for you, bud – why don’t you try it on?”

Toothless let Hiccup put the saddle on, tightening the girth straps and connecting the ropes to Toothless’s artificial tail fin.

Jack watched the entire process, leaning against the wall. Hiccup moved like he’d done this a thousand times, barely having to concentrate on what his hands were doing, and trusting Toothless to be in exactly the right place. He even seemed to forget Jack was there for a little while as he worked, murmuring to Toothless.

Jack looked out over the dragon stable. Or rather, the dragon cave – all around them, dragons on their own little ledges lined the walls. A huge window in the roof, wooden doors lying open, allowed access to the open sky. Ladders and stairs lined the walls. Toothless’s ledge was one of the higher ones, and Hiccup had grumbled at Jack’s ability to call the wind and vault up to the ledge.

“You two are quite a pair,” Jack said, “with your foot and his tail.”

Hiccup stiffened a little. Whoops.

“You don’t have to talk about it,” Jack said hastily.

“It’s fine,” Hiccup said. “I just still feel a little bad for Toothless’s tail. It was back … before we were friends with the dragons. We used to hunt them. I just wanted to be like everyone else, so I shot him out of the sky. And, well.” He gestured at the tail fin. “But we get along now, don’t we, Bud?”

Toothless closed his eyes and gurgled happily.

Hiccup looked over at Jack.

Oh no. Here it came. He’d broached something too personal, and now Hiccup was going to respond in kind. Jack’s stomach churned. Part of him loved the idea of having someone to talk to, but an equally large part of him didn’t want to talk about any of it. He didn’t know what he’d do if Hiccup asked him something – oh god, what if he asked about his reaction to people walking through him – personal. Would he clam up? Make up a lie – oh god what if he’d figured out that the camp thing was a lie?

Would he just blurt everything out?

Hiccup turned back to the saddle and adjusted a strap. “There we go, Toothless,” he said.

Jack smiled at Toothless jumping around the dragon stables, shaking himself and cooing. He felt a little lightheaded, but the dragon was a nice distraction.

“Seem to fit,” Hiccup said. “Not moving too much?”

Toothless gurgled, and shot Jack a knowing look.

Jack froze. Did the dragon … Toothless was doing that on purpose!

“Hey, weird question,” he said to Hiccup, who looked up from adjusting the stirrups.

“Yeah?”

“Do you … actually talk to Toothless, or just …” Jack waved a hand, unable to express the distinction.

“Well, Toothless understands me,” Hiccup said, going back to the stirrups. “But about all I can tell from him is whether he’s happy with me or not. And that he’s the smuggest dragon I’ve ever met.”

Jack chuckled as Toothless headbutted Hiccup.

“Argh. Bud, you’re making this _very hard_.”

Hiccup finished, and mounted up. “Your choice, Bud. Where are we going?”

Toothles took off into the air, shooting through the window in the roof. Jack followed them, taking a running jump into the air and calling the wind.

Hiccup shouted in surprise at the sudden gust. There was a click-click as he adjusted the foot pedal, and Toothless’s tail fin changed angles.

“Heh. Sorry,” Jack said.

“No trouble. Hey – race you?”

Jack grinned. “You bet. That tree. GO!”

He careened off towards the tree, ignoring Hiccup’s indignant shouting behind him.

 

~

 

“Toothless, you are awful,” Jack said.

Toothless just gave him a smug look, perched in the top tree branches.

“You don’t understand,” Jack told the Night Fury. “You just beat the _literal wind_. _I am literally flying as fast as the wind_.”

“Maybe if you flew in a straight line, you’d have a better chance,” Hiccup said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

“I go in a straight line,” Jack huffed.

“Most of you,” Hiccup said. “All the individual pieces of you seem to be moving in different directions, though.”

Toothless made a throaty trill. Jack turned his attention to the Night Fury. If he spent too long watching Hiccup laugh, he wouldn’t be able to keep pretending he was offended. It was … alright, he had to admit it. Making people laugh was even better when he could share the laugh with them.

“Was that a _snigger_?” Jack asked the dragon. “Nobody likes a sore winner, Toothless.” He started grinning. “Besides, I can definitely do tricks you can’t.”

“Oh?” Hiccup raised an eyebrow.

Jack stepped backwards off the tree, shouting for the Wind to come and grab him. He watched Hiccup shield his face and Hiccup’s hair ruffle as he shot straight up into the sky. What to do, what to do …

The trees.

He let the wind drop him, then catch him and shoot him past Hiccup. He dipped into the trees, leaping from branch to branch, letting his staff catch and spin him around, changing direction on the whim of the wind. Then he tumbled back into the air and strolled across the top branches back to Hiccup.

Hiccup glanced down at Toothless and grinned. He checked the huge flaps of leather on his riding gear and tested the foot pedal a few times. “You ready, Bud?”

Toothless _gronk_ ed, and Jack stepped aside, bowing and indicating for Hiccup to continue.

Toothless leapt off the tree, making Jack hold his hands out to steady himself against the shaking. He watched Hiccup and Toothless ascend, then Hiccup fiddled with something and fell sideways off Toothless.

Hiccup twisted himself onto his front and stretched his arms and legs out, making leather wings snap tight, and immediately his descent to slowed. Jack heard Hiccup’s whoop, and grinned. Toothless tucked his wings, angled down, and began to overtake Hiccup. Then, Hiccup shouted, suddenly realising the ground was right there. Toothless beat his wings once, just catching up to Hiccup and pulling him close as they both hit the ground and slid.

Jack hurried over to them as Toothless stood up and shook himself, testing a sore shoulder. He looked down at Hiccup, who was lying on his back still, laughing and breathing heavily. Jack paused to watch him for a moment, and the expression of pure excitement in his eyes. He’d been wrong. Hiccup wasn’t secretly a prankster. He was secretly a _daredevil_. Hiccup was going to be fun. He could already tell.

“You know,” Jack said. “I think you were supposed to actually land on Toothless there.”

He started to reach down to pull Hiccup up, but then remembered that he’d probably go through the Viking, and quickly pulled his hand back. Hiccup rolled to his feet and started tucking loops of leather back into various parts of his suit.

“Ah, we’ll get it eventually, won’t we, Bud?” Hiccup asked, looking over at Toothless.

Toothless rolled his eyes and huffed.

Hiccup gave him a shove, and turned back to Jack. They shared a quick grin, then Jack turned to the ocean. “I bet you,” he said, “You can’t beat me through those rocks.”

Hiccup laughed. “You would bet wrong. Toothless and I cut our teeth on those rocks. That’s where I really learned to use his tail fin for the first time. You have no chance.”

“What, too scared to take up the challenge?” Jack asked, raising one eyebrow.

“I never said _that_ ,” Hiccup said. “What do you think, Bud?”

Toothless _gronked_ , and Hiccup mounted again.

Jack backflipped and punched the air. “Alright! Ready?”

Hiccup chuckled at him, then tested the tail fin and nodded. “Yup. Go!”

 

~

 

They made it back to the village in time for dinner, but only just. By the time they made it to the table, Fishlegs had already spread out papers across the table, and was talking excitedly to the others.

“About time you showed up,” Astrid said. “Where were you?”

“Out with Toothless,” Hiccup said. “Sorry. What’d I miss?”

“Fishlegs thinks he’s found it.”

“Nice work,” Hiccup said.

Fishlegs picked up a book. “Um, hold on a second, let me find it.”

Jack looked over his shoulder as he flipped through the book.

There! But … Fishlegs was still flipping.

“Here!” he said, showing Hiccup a picture of an old crone bent over a pond. “It’s called a Caillagh. She’s supposed to bring Winter by washing her shawl in the ocean until it becomes white, but if you try to interfere with her, she’ll use her hammer to crush your skull!”

Hiccup squinted at the drawing. “Huh,” he said.

Jack rolled his eyes.

“But it could also be this,” Fishlegs flipped a few more pages, and pointed out a similarly-haggard old woman, drawn next to a younger version of the same woman. “The Bean Nighe! If you see her washing your armour in a stream, then you’re going to _die_!”

Fishlegs put the book down and Jack seized his chance. He flipped through the pages back to the picture of the old woman with the blue face, and leaned on his staff across the pages of the book.

“Um,” Hiccup said, pointing to the book.

“Oh,” Fishlegs said. “Sorry.” He tried to flip back, but with Jack’s staff across the book, the pages wouldn’t move.

“I … I can’t turn the pages!” Fishlegs shouted, jumping back from the table.

“Let me try,” Snotlout said, rolling his eyes. “Big baby, probably just doing it to …” he tugged on the page, without success.

“I, uh, I think we’re getting a message,” Hiccup said, glancing up at Jack, obviously struggling to keep a straight face.

“I’m leaving,” Tuffnut said.

Astrid and Hiccup shared a glance.

Hiccup leaned over. “Black Agnes,” he read. “Blue skin, and nails made of iron, that she uses to climb cliffs to get to her home, which is usually a cave next to an oak tree. Steals children and lambs and tans their skins, which she hangs around her belt.”

Jack lifted his staff off the book.

“Now you mention it …” Snotlout said, “When she did that thing to Hookfang, I thought her fingernails looked weird.”

“Cave next to an oak tree, huh?” Astrid asked thoughtfully.

“No harm in looking,” Hiccup said. “We can check out all three possibilities, but I mean, if the book knows what it’s doing…”

“Ha, ha,” Jack said. “I got close enough for her to slice my face open, I think I got close enough to recognise a picture of her.”

“And people wonder why I hate reading,” Tuffnut said, eyeing the book.

Snotlout nodded, and gave the page an experimental tug. It turned just fine. He shuddered.

 

~

 

Astrid followed Hiccup out of the dining hall after the others had left and gone their separate ways. Jack stepped a little way away, so as not to seem like he was listening in to their conversation. Astrid seemed to have no such qualms, talking just as loudly as ever to Hiccup as they walked, drawing glances and smiles of knowing amusement from passers-by.

“You’re taking this all very calmly,” she said drily.

“I’m … really not,” Hiccup said.

“You are, though. Books whose pages turn on their own? Bundles of sand on cliffs pretending to be children and disappearing witches gathering buckets of seawater? This is Grade-A Weird, Hiccup.”

“I know!” Hiccup protested. “I am one hundred percent aware of that!”

“What’s the idea you had earlier today, then?” Astrid asked.

“Idea?”

“You told me that you were looking off into the distance because you’d thought of something, and you’d tell me later, when you had a chance to think about it. You’ve had a chance – tell me what it was.”

“It … it was stupid,” Hiccup said. “Not worth mentioning.”

“Maybe, but what _was_ it?”

“Why are you so interested?”

“Because you’re acting very strange. Last time that happened, you kind of rewrote our entire society. Do you blame me for being a little nervous now?”

“I think the dragon thing worked out pretty well, don’t you?”

Astrid pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yeah, great. I mean, you only lost a foot and nearly killed your Dad and the entire village. No big deal.”

Hiccup winced and chuckled nervously.

“So now we’ve established that I’m onto you, and I’m not giving up – _what do you keep looking at_?”

Hiccup had glanced past Astrid at Jack, who shrugged. Would Astrid believe him if he told the truth? Would he … might she see him?

Hiccup sighed. “You remember that flying boy? His name is Jack Frost, and he’s the one who showed us those pages in the book. Nobody can see him, but we don’t know why.”

Jack couldn’t see Astrid’s expression, but to judge by Hiccup’s, it wasn’t good.

“Outfits, huh?” Astrid asked quietly. “Look, Hiccup, you can trust me. Haven’t I proven that?”

“Astrid, I _am_ trusting you!”

Astrid turned around in a little circle, fists balled, face scrunched up, then turned back to Hiccup and exhaled slowly. “I understand,” she said. “Hiccup, I know you don’t like to tell people things until you’ve worked them out yourself. But please, tell me this time before you get in trouble? Or before you get the rest of us in trouble. Because we’re headed for trouble, I can tell.”

Hiccup looked away. “Astrid …”

She held up a hand. “No, Hiccup. You have officially used up my quiet understanding for today. I am taking Stormfly for a night flight, and then I am going to sleep. If you want to talk more, try again tomorrow.”

Jack and Hiccup watched her leave.

After she was gone. Hiccup laughed and scratched the back of his neck. “Guess I should have come up with a better lie than the truth.”

Jack looked away. He felt like dirt. Why hadn’t he been able to come up with something? No, he knew why. Because deep down, he’d been hoping that if Hiccup could convince Astrid he was real, she would see him, too. And then maybe the rest of their little group. And then, maybe …

But instead, he’d just gotten Hiccup yelled at by one of his best friends.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

Hiccup looked at him for a moment, then made a small motion for Jack to follow him towards the hut.

Jack followed Hiccup until they were out of earshot of any of the townspeople, hanging back, and holding his staff tight across him. Why couldn’t they have just stayed flying? They had fun while they were flying. Hiccup was the most fun he’d gotten to have in years. Why did that have to be ruined because nobody else could see him?

Once they’d gotten a little away from the crowds (some of whom had gathered to watch the argument), Hiccup looked over his shoulder and said, “Don’t worry about Astrid. We fight so often I think there used to be a betting pool.”

Jack tried to shrug it off with a joke. “I’d started to think you two were dating.”

“Not anymore.”

Jack would gladly have fallen into one of Bunny’s burrows right then and there. “Oh, I just keep saying exactly the right thing, don’t I?”

“It wasn’t that bad,” Hiccup said. “We were kids, I mistook envy for a crush, and she thought she liked me more than she actually did, for whatever reason. She never told me. She called it off, but just because we found out we didn’t really like kissing each other doesn’t change the fact that she’s still one of the best people I know.”

“And you just had a fight. Over me. She thinks you’re a liar.”

“She already thought that, and probably a lot worse, knowing her. And me.”

“Will you try to convince her tomorrow?” Jack asked. If Hiccup could talk Astrid around …

Hiccup shook his head and chuckled. “I can think of better uses of my time and breath. I think if I try and run that story about you past her again, she might use me for target practice.” He grinned at Jack, who managed half a smile back, then turned away to kick a rock. He had to learn how to not get his hopes up.

“Jack,” Hiccup said as they reached the door to Hiccup’s hut. “Do you want to stay indoors tonight?”

Jack shook his head. “I’ve got a camp, remember?”

Hiccup’s mouth tensed, and Jack braced himself. There it was. Half a frown, intake of breath like he was about to say something. He couldn’t meet Hiccup’s eyes. There was a lump in his throat.

“Jack … are you alright?”

“Me?” Jack laughed. “Fine! What’s that look for? If there’s something on my face, you have to tell me.”

“It’s just … coming into winter. You can come in for some real shelter if you want it.”

Jack shook his head. “I’m fine,” he said. “Spirit of Winter, remember?” He lifted one bare foot as evidence. Silently, he begged Hiccup to just accept his word for it. He wasn’t stupid, he knew Hiccup wasn’t concerned in the least about possible harsh weather, and that they were both dancing around the topic.

Thankfully, Hiccup just nodded. “Alright. But don’t be surprised if Toothless tries to keep you company one night. He’s very overprotective, and you spoil him rotten.”

“I’ll … keep an eye out,” Jack said.

Hiccup went to close the door, and a sudden fear gripped Jack. Would Hiccup go straight through him, too? Was that what had happened at the cliff, why he couldn’t stop Hiccup falling? Had the weight on the end of his staff been imaginary? “Hiccup, wait.”

The door opened again, and Hiccup looked at Jack with an unreadable expression. Expectation? Hope? Or just curiosity?

“I have a …” No. He couldn’t ask. “Never mind. Go inside, someone will yell at you for keeping the door open.”

“Ah, Dad’s a heavy sleeper. If you wanted to come inside, all you have to do is walk in. It’s not like we lock the door.”

“No,” Jack said. “That’s not it. Would you … would you hold out your arm for a moment?” He felt stupid just for asking.

Hiccup looked bewildered for a moment, then stretched his arm out.

Jack stepped forward and touched Hiccup’s arm, on the sleeve, where he wouldn’t feel the chill in Jack’s fingers. Then he wrapped his fingers around Hiccup’s arm and gripped it tight for a second. Hiccup might have been warm or freezing cold for all he could tell, but his arm was solid under Jack’s fingers, and he hadn’t realised how much he had craved that. He couldn’t disguise the sudden shudder in his breath. Solid flesh and bone. That was what it felt like. Finally. he made himself let go.

“Thanks,” he said, stepping back. “I’ll stop making you uncomfortable now. See you in the morning.”

Hiccup put his arm down, hesitated, then stepped forward, wrapping Jack in a huge hug. Jack’s mind went blank for a moment, losing the ability to think in complete sentences. He realised he should probably hug back. His arms felt heavy and numb as he wrapped them around Hiccup. He could feel Hiccup’s back through the leather riding gear. He could feel Hiccup’s chest expand as he breathed, the slight rush of air near his ear.

Hiccup gave him a quick squeeze, then let go. “Well, I’ll see you in the morning,” he muttered, sounding embarrassed.

“Yeah,” Jack said, trying to act like he wasn’t disappointed, or stunned, or any of the things he was feeling just then. “Thanks.”

Hiccup nodded and went inside. Jack took a moment to gather himself before he called the wind and flew away.


	8. Flying Solves Everything, pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to everyone who's been commenting! You say such lovely things!  
> Side note: If you do notice something where I've messed up or have any critiques, do feel free to let me know! If I don't know where to improve, I can't improve.
> 
> I forgot I put these two flying chapters so close together ... Ah, well. Flying trips: Now featuring Toothless being done with your shit, Hiccup.

The sun hit Jack’s tree and he groaned. Worst of both worlds – he’d humiliated himself _and_ he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it all night.

Perfect.

He got up, stretched and went to wait for Hiccup to wake up. Hopefully, Hiccup wouldn’t mention it, and they could forget the whole thing ever happened.

He couldn’t hear any thumping from inside – that meant that Toothless wasn’t up yet, which he guessed meant Hiccup was still asleep. He dangled one foot over the side of the roof and sat back to wait for the sun to rise.

 

~

 

“Toothless, you are way too excited in the mornings.”

Hiccup sat up, pushing away Toothless’s huge, flat head as the dragon nuzzled his cheek.

The dragon finally got the hint and bounded away.  Hiccup rubbed his eyes. Well, it had only been a matter of time until he did something monumentally stupid, he supposed. If his brain could explain to him exactly what it had been thinking, he would be a happy Viking.

Toothless nudged him, making an inquisitive growling noise. He patted the dragon on the head and dropped his hand again.

Toothless growled again.

“Hm? Oh, sorry, Bud.” Hiccup got up and started to get dressed. “You’re probably hungry.”

“Listen, son …” a voice said.

_Oh, perfect._

“What is it, Dad?”

“Gobber says you’ve been going to dragon training again.”

“Oh. Yeah. I figured Toothless could use the challenge,” Hiccup said, scratching his dragon under the chin.

“Good! Good, that’s good. Um. So. How’s your … map? Are you nearly finished?”

Hiccup sighed. “No, Dad. I don’t think you understand how many islands there are around here! I could search for _years_ and not find them all!”

Stoick coughed awkwardly. “That’s … very interesting, Hiccup. But really, don’t you think there are more …” he waved his hands vaguely and trailed off.

Hiccup sighed. “If you’d just let me take you _once_ , Dad! I’ll prove this is important!”

“But it’s not the only thing that’s important,” Stoick said. “Hiccup, I’m glad you’ve been dragon training with the others. It’s important for a future Chief to interact with his people.”

“Glad you approve, Dad,” Hiccup said, giving up.

“I do approve! So, I’ll see you at the dragon race later today, then!”

“What?” When had he agreed to that? The _last_ thing he needed was a dragon race! He had to figure out how to beat Agnes! He had to learn why Jack was there!

“You said Toothless needed a challenge,” Stoick said, giving Toothless a pat on the nose. “What better challenge than a dragon race? Come on, son. Just once. I don’t know why you’re so against them!”

“Uh, sorry to spoil it for you, Dad,” Hiccup said. “But Fishlegs and Snotlout are going to give all their sheep to Ruffnut and Astrid, and then Astrid will catch the black sheep and win.”

“See? That’s why you should come! Add a little variety!”

“I’ll … think about it,” Hiccup said.

Stoick frowned at him. “Son, is this about Astrid? I know it’s been a long time, but sometimes these things …”

“What?” Hiccup could feel himself going red. Some dragons had the ability to close their ears while swimming, so that water didn’t get in. Hiccup envied those dragons, very much. “Dad, Astrid and I are fine! It’s been years; I think I’m well and truly over it.”

“You had another fight with her last night,” Stoick pointed out. “I just wondered if maybe you’d …”

Hiccup dragged a hand down his face. “Please stop talking, Dad.”

Stoick sat back, apparently as relieved as Hiccup was to not be having this conversation. “I won’t pry,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure that you were, you know. Doing OK. Because, you know, if you did want to try again with Astrid …”

“Dad!” Hiccup exclaimed. “For the last time, no! What, you’ve known me for this long and you don’t think I could have just said something regular old stupid to make her angry? No, it has to be some great Meaningful Thing! Look, I’ve been pissing Astrid off since I was about three, so I hardly need a special occasion for it.”

Stoick sighed. “Alright,” he said. “Well. See you at the race, then.”

He put his helmet on and walked out of the hut.

Hiccup dropped his head onto Toothless’s neck. “Did I agree to that, Bud?” he asked. “I don’t think I did.”

Toothless gurgled.

“You agree with me, though, right?” Hiccup asked. “You’d prefer to go explore the islands than be stuck here doing some stupid dragon race?”

Toothless gave him a Look.

“Taking that as a yes. Thanks for the support, Bud,” Hiccup said, standing up.

He walked outside, to see Jack sitting on the roof, watching the door with his bright blue eyes. Half a smile played around Jack’s mouth, and Hiccup felt his stomach drop.

“You can hear everything that goes on in the house from here,” he said. “Can’t you?”

Jack shrugged. “Eh. More or less.” He slid down off the roof and landed lightly next to Hiccup. He frowned. “It’s not that bad,” he said with a chuckle. “I promise you haven’t said anything too embarrassing.”

That was when Hiccup realised he’d been staring. He quickly looked away and took the out Jack had given him. “Are you sure?” he asked. “I seem to have a bit of a talent for it.”

“Yeah, of course. I mean, your Dad, on the other hand …”

Hiccup buried his face in his hands, groaning theatrically.

Jack laughed. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to bring up a sore topic. So, sounds like you’re going dragon racing?”

Hiccup glanced over at Jack. “Actually,” he said. “Would you like to go flying instead?” For some reason, he had to force himself to ask. It wasn’t skipping dragon racing – he’d long since stopped being embarrassed about that. But what was so embarrassing about asking Jack to come flying? Jack was acting like last night hadn’t happened, so why couldn’t he?

Jack hesitated. “Your Dad won’t be mad?”

“Well …” Hiccup said. “Probably. But no more so than he is every time I miss a dragon race.”

“You and he … don’t really get along, do you?” Jack asked, hesitantly.

Hiccup had to laugh at that. “Oh, boy, you should have seen us five years ago!” he said. “Trust me, a bit awkward is a _huge_ improvement. I’ll take awkward any day of the week.”

He stole a glance sideways at Jack, but had to look away again immediately when he realised that Jack had done the same thing, with a wide grin that answered his own sardonic one.

As they got closer to the stables, they had to stop talking. Hiccup led Jack up through the caverns to where Toothless’s saddle was hung up on the wall. Hiccup picked up the saddle and Toothless turned so he could put it on.

He very nearly turned to Jack and started to say, “I have a question” – he’d figure out which one he was actually going to ask later – but he got to ‘um’ before he spotted the look on Jack’s face. Jack had suddenly tensed up, holding his staff across his body like a quarterstaff. Just like last time Hiccup had nearly asked him something personal. The question died on Hiccup’s lips, and he turned back to the saddle. What had happened to make the Winter Spirit so defensive? All he wanted to do was go hug Jack again, but of all the stupid things he could do, that would probably be number one on the list.

Toothless flipped him with an ear flap.

“Sorry, Bud,” he said. “Is that strap too tight?” He checked with his fingers. No, it should be about right …

Toothless flipped him again, and gave him a shove with his shoulder. Hiccup nearly stumbled backwards into Jack.

“Ow. Toothless! What’s gotten into you?”

Toothless rolled his eyes and nuzzled Hiccup, lifting him off the ground and dropping him down onto the straw-covered stone.

“I don’t speak shove,” Hiccup said. “Toothless, what’s wrong?”

Behind him, Jack laughed. Hiccup looked up from the floor to see Jack leaning on his staff, laughing so hard he had to wipe his eyes. Jack’s laugh was bigger than Jack himself. It was loud and long and sincere, and it took over his whole body.

Well, at least Jack didn’t look so tense and scared, even if he was laughing at Hiccup’s expense. But Thor’s beard, calming Jack down was supposed to make Hiccup want to hug him _less_ , not more.

Wait.

Oh, no.

Hiccup immediately decided that was one little gem of self-discovery best pushed to the furthest back corners of his mind and forgotten as quickly as possible. He stood up and brushed himself off, watching Toothless from the corner of his eye, in case he decided to try knocking Hiccup over again.

“Glad someone’s amused,” Hiccup said. “Now, Toothless, will you let me put that saddle on right?

Toothless glared at Hiccup, and glanced at Jack. Hiccup pretended he hadn’t noticed. Toothless gave a great sigh and a resigned shake of his shoulders.

“Looks like he really wanted to tell you something,” Jack said, stepping forward to scratch the dragon’s chin.

“I think he got his point across just fine,” Hiccup muttered. Toothless gave him a smug glance.

“He doesn’t seem to think so,” Jack said.

Hiccup was saved from having to answer by Stoick barrelling up to the stables and throwing the doors open.

“Time to go!” Hiccup said, jumping onto Toothless and putting his helmet on as Toothless took off towards the open flight exit.

“Wind!” Jack shouted, and went careening upwards past them. Hiccup felt the wind through his hair as he whisked by.

Toothless glanced back at him and _gronked_ smugly. Hiccup glared at him. Toothless couldn’t see it through the helmet, but it made him feel better.


	9. Flying Solves Everything, pt. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did warn there would be fluff.

Above the village, Hiccup and Toothless finally caught up with Jack. Jack glanced back. Toothless met his look with one of wide-eyed innocence.

The dragon was definitely up to something. Just what had he been trying to tell Hiccup anyway? Hiccup didn’t know; Jack was reasonably sure of that. Hiccup was a terrible liar.

Toothless pulled up beside him and matched Jack’s speed, as Jack spread out his limbs, trying to keep his balance and stay upright as he flew.

Hiccup chuckled, and tipped his metal visor up so Jack could see his face.

“It’s harder than it looks,” Jack told him.

“I dunno,” Hiccup said. “It looks pretty difficult. Don’t you get tired?”

“What, are you offering me a ride on your dragon?” Jack asked with a grin.

Hiccup’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times before he answered. “Would it make us go faster if I did?”

“Is that a challenge?” Jack asked. What had that been about? Oh. Whoops. Hiccup was still embarrassed about the hug. Jack winced. In all the times he’d imagined being able to talk to people, he had never imagined it would be this hard not to say the wrong thing!

Hiccup patted Toothless’s head. “What do you say? Is that a challenge, Toothless?”

Toothless grinned and put his head down. Hiccup tipped the visor back over his face and leaned forward.

“Wind!”

Toothless got the early lead, but Jack was soon catching up to him. He was just nearing Toothless’s tail when the dragon suddenly took a sharp turn upwards.

He called to the Wind and felt it catapult him straight up, after Toothless’s red tail fin as it disappeared into the clouds above. His cloak wrapped over his head as he tumbled.

As they broke through the clouds, Jack realised that Toothless had slowed down to a comfortable glide. He followed on the Wind, and took a moment to pull his cloak back down and brush the water out of his hair.

“Toothless beats the wind again!” Hiccup crowed. He’d tilted the visor of his helmet up again. “Dragon and rider, the perfect team, fighting impossible odds and nature itself to emerge victorious!”

Jack crossed his arms and tried not to look too happy. Hiccup’s excitement was contagious, his green eyes vivid and excited. “Pfft,” he said. “Beginner’s luck.”

“Beginner?” Hiccup asked. “Five years of training is hardly ‘beginning’.”

Jack spread his arms out. “I’m going on eighty!” he said. “Everyone’s a beginner compared to me!”

“And you _still_ can’t fly in a straight line,” Hiccup said, shaking his head sadly.

“Hey!” But that was it. Jack couldn’t finish his indignant comment. He dissolved into laughter, and Hiccup immediately followed.

When they finished, Hiccup wiped moisture from his eyes, where it was already crystallising into ice. He sighed and looked out at the clouds.

Jack followed his gaze. It was a gorgeous sight. The sun was shining down on them, clouds perfect and white, with just a hint of sunrise orange left on them. Jack turned lazily over on the wind, dragging his staff through the clouds and looking behind them at how the clouds whirled and tumbled in the breeze they left behind them.

He looked over at Hiccup, who was leaning forward on Toothless, looking at a cloud formation in front of them with an absent smile. Jack smiled, too. He looked so … happy.

“That way, Bud,” Hiccup said, pointing. “I think we’ll expand the map East today.”

The visor went down again. Toothless dipped a wing, his tail fin _clicked_ into place, and they were turning lazily in the direction Hiccup indicated.

Jack turned and tumbled after him, following along as Hiccup and Toothless flew. Toothless pulled up for a steep loop over Jack’s head, flew upside-down briefly, dragging Hiccup’s head through the clouds, then righted himself. Hiccup brushed water off his helmet.

“Toothless, what is it with you today?”

Jack chuckled.

Hiccup leaned forwards again over his saddle and scanned the clouds. “Let’s go down, Bud. I can’t see a thing through these.”

He and the dragon disappeared down through the clouds.

Jack dived after them, emerging over the oceans. He tumbled over Hiccup and went to say something to the Viking, but Hiccup was staring intently at the ocean and horizon, and Jack didn’t have the heart to break his concentration.

They flew in silence until Hiccup glanced up at him. “You’re really quiet,” he said, then glanced away.

“Sorry. You looked like you were focusing.”

Hiccup sighed and turned his attention back to the ocean, lifting the visor up. “Yeah,” he said. “I can’t believe that we never actually figured out how many islands there are out here! I mean, you’d think that would have been important to _someone_. But I guess … we always had a lot on our plate with the dragons.” He patted Toothless’s neck next to the saddle.

Jack paused. “You really made a difference around here, huh?”

Hiccup turned bright red. “Well,” he said. “Blame Toothless. He started the whole thing, really.”

Toothless purred.

One of these days, Jack vowed, he’d get Hiccup to admit that he’d done something important without shifting the focus to Toothless. If he could have had that amount of effect on a town …

No, he wasn’t going to think like that today. He was out, having fun and flying, and he didn’t need to worry about bringing Winter today. He just needed to enjoy the moment – and make sure Hiccup was, too. He pretended to lose his balance on a gust of wind, tumbled over Toothless and righted himself on the other side. Hiccup tried to hide his chuckle behind his hand.

Jack grinned. There it was. They were having fun!

 

They touched down and Hiccup immediately pulled a notebook out of the left pocket of his flying jacket. He looked over at the island opposite them, took off his visor and started sketching.

Jack watched him as the outline of the new island took form under his charcoal pencil.

“Should we get closer?”

“Not yet …” Hiccup said, voice trailing off as he checked his sketch against the coastline.

When the sketch was done, he turned to Jack and said, “We should make a bet.”

“What on?”

“What dragons we’re going to find on that island,” Hiccup said. “Although you probably have the advantage. You’d visit that island every year to bring winter, wouldn’t you?”

Jack stared at it. “I probably do,” he said, then grinned sheepishly. “There’s a whole lot of world. I don’t remember all of it.”

“I bet,” Hiccup said, looking back at the island. He sounded … wistful? Jack had the sudden urge to ask him what that look was for, what it was in the distance he was seeing or wanted to see. Would that be an awkward question? Too personal? Jack had always thought of himself as good with people, but the gulf between fun in the snow and actually having a conversation suddenly seemed cavernous. Jack retreated to the last topic that he remembered was safe.

“What dragons do _you_ think are on the island?”

Hiccup shook himself out of wherever his thoughts had taken him, and Jack realised he felt a little guilty for it. Wherever Hiccup had been, it looked like it was a pleasant place.

Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything.

Hiccup examined the island closely before answering. “Well, it’s not too big,” he said. “Probably not many, unless there’s a cave system. Terrible Terrors, maybe?”

Jack nodded. “Should we go find out?”

Hiccup grinned. “Absolutely!”

 

They didn’t return to Berk until late in the evening, long after dinner had already finished.

Jack tried not to mention it, secretly terrified that Hiccup would ask if he could share some of Jack’s supplies, and then Jack would have to admit that he actually didn’t have any. He told himself he was being stupid. He didn’t have to eat, and Hiccup had seemingly accepted that he was a Winter spirit, despite the misgivings he’d voiced to Toothless (another topic Jack steered well clear of). If anything, lack of food gave him more proof that he was who he said he was.

No, if he was really being honest, what worried Jack was that … Look Hiccup had. A little frown, tense mouth … it always reminded Jack of North, and it always gave him the feeling that Hiccup had just figured something out and was about to ask a question, but he never did. It made him uncomfortable, and it made him want to keep his real sleeping space secret from Hiccup, no matter what. But he couldn’t put his finger on _why_ , and that bothered him most of all.

It was the Look Hiccup was giving him right that moment, in fact.

He quickly looked away, resting his staff on the ground and straightening up. “What?”

Hiccup shook his head. “Nothing,” he said.

“No, really,” Jack said. “You keep looking at me like you can’t figure out how to tell me I’ve got something horrible all down my back.”

Hiccup looked down to scratch Toothless’s forehead before answering. “I could ask the same thing,” he said. “You keep looking at me like you just found a snake in your bed and you’re trying to figure out if it’s venomous.”

“I don’t,” Jack said immediately. “Do I?”

Hiccup nodded. “Not all the time. Just … sometimes.”

Jack scratched the back of his neck. He couldn’t deny that he’d been on edge, and probably more than he should. “It’s been a long week,” he said. “Guess I’m just a little nervous.”

“Well,” Hiccup said, “It’s fine. Just …” he focused on Jack, looking him directly in the eyes. “I’m not venomous.”

Jack wished his whole body would stop clenching when Hiccup got close to him. He’d never felt that unhappy when he was invisible, so why did meeting Hiccup’s eyes (to say nothing of Hiccup touching him!) make him feel like he was panicking?

“I know! You don’t have to look so serious about it!”

Hiccup looked away, and Jack wished he’d said that a bit less forcefully.

On the way back to the hut, Hiccup passed Stoick, who gave him a nod.

“So … how was the dragon race?” Hiccup asked, running his hand through his hair and looking away.

Stoick sighed. “Snotlout and Fishlegs gave their sheep to Ruffnut. Astrid caught the black sheep and won. Get some rest, son. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Jack glanced between them. Hiccup sighed and ran a hand over his forehead and through his hair. Jack hesitated, the reached out and put his hand on Hiccup’s shoulder. Hiccup tensed, and turned around. Jack gave him a wide grin and said, “Look on the bright side! You and Toothless faced down a force of nature and won today.”

Hiccup chuckled. “A force of nature who can’t fly straight,” he said. “It’s alright, I’ll spend some time in the forge tomorrow and make it up to him.”

Jack quickly took his hand away before it got awkward. “Well,” he said. “I’d better get back to the camp. Sleep well.”

“See you in the morning.”

Jack took off towards his tree. It must just be the novelty of it, he reasoned. He’d get used to being seen and then he’d calm down.


	10. The Cave and the Oak Tree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, right, there's plot in this fic.

The door burst open, just as Hiccup was about to leave the hut. Gobber shoved his head inside.

“Hardsnoot and Young Hilde are missing!” Gobber shouted. “Everyone’s up looking! Come on, Hiccup!”

Hiccup bolted out the door. If Jack had heard, he’d follow.

He did follow, flying alongside Hiccup on his side.

“Kids?” he asked.

Hiccup nodded, concentrating too much on running to respond.

They reached the town square, where Stoick was directing people in the search.

“Hiccup!” he said. “You and your friends know the woods. They’re all getting their dragons saddled – go quickly.”

“I’m going!”

Hiccup turned around and sprinted off to the dragon stables. He noticed, after a moment, that there was a strong breeze at his back, speeding him along just a little bit.

“Thanks, Jack,” he said, not really caring if anybody heard him, but doubting anybody was paying them enough attention for that.

Toothless followed and stood very still Hiccup pulled the saddle roughly off the wall and laid it on the dragon’s back.

“Sleeping Beauty finally wakes up,” Snotlout said. “Guess you need all the beauty sleep you can get.”

“You definitely don’t get enough,” Hiccup said tersely, struggling to keep his hands steady as he tightened straps.

Astrid wasn’t looking at him; she was focussing entirely on Stormfly.

“Alright, let’s get to the woods and then split up,” she said. “We’ll take a fifth each. Everybody, _scour_ the woods. This is no time for jokes.”

“You need to be looking for an oak tree near a cave,” Jack said.

“If you see an oak tree near a cave, send up a signal,” Hiccup said. “We’ll meet up and check it out _together_ , everyone got that?”

“We’re following the creepy book?” Tuffnut asked.

“We’ve got to search the whole woods anyway,” Hiccup said. “We might as well take extra care around the creepier bits of it.”

“What if … what if we don’t find one of those?”

“Look harder,” Jack said darkly.

“Figure it out from there,” Hiccup said firmly. He tugged the stirrup into the right position. “Everybody ready? Let’s go!”

“Wait!” Astrid ran to one of the storage chests and pulled out two long sticks with wrapped ends, and a package wrapped in soft leather. “If we’re going into caves, we’re taking a light source with us. Alright, let’s go.”

They took off into the sky together.

 

~

 

At the edge of the woods, the five dragons landed, and they split up – Snotlout and Fishlegs on the flanks, Astrid and the twins in the next sections, and Hiccup (and Jack) in the centre.

“You take left, I’ll take right,” Jack said. “Toothless can cover the gaps, can’t you, boy?”

Toothless gurgled.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Jack said.

Hiccup chuckled. Jack’s voice was tense, but the humour was calming.

“And if something’s about to jump out at me from the trees, you’ve got to tell me, alright?” he told Jack.

“Are you kidding? If something jumps out at us, I’m making sure it goes for you first,” Jack said, with a high-pitched giggle.

“Gee, thanks. You’re a really nice person.”

Damn trees. Why were woods full of so many trees? It felt like he couldn’t see anything properly, and Toothless was flying achingly slowly.

He opened his mouth to say something to Jack, but he didn’t want to risk distracting him. Besides, now was a stunningly poor time for a personal conversation.

Jack cursed.

Hiccup’s head whipped around. There – an oak tree and a huge cave.

They landed in front of it, and Jack took a look inside. “It’s pretty big,” he said. “I can’t see where it goes.”

Hiccup held his nose, and Toothless flinched away from it. “Thor’s … what is that?”

“Tanning,” Jack said. “For the skins.”

Hiccup glanced over at him. “I’ve decided you being right makes me very uncomfortable.”

Jack managed a weak smile. “I wish I was wrong.”

“Toothless, send up the flare,” Hiccup said.

The black dragon coughed a ball of flame up into the air above the trees, where it exploded.

“Do you think we should search the rest of the woods first?” Hiccup asked.

“No,” Jack said. “The worst thing that can happen to them in the rest of the woods is they’ll get hungry.”

He sounded so grim that a chill went down Hiccup’s spine. He realised it hadn’t really occurred to him that Jack could be truly serious

The other dragons came crashing through the canopy, in too much of a hurry to worry about stealth.

“Eurgh,” Ruffnut said, as they landed.

“It’s tanning,” Hiccup informed them. “You know. For skins.”

There was a long silence.

“We’re going in now, then,” Astrid said, voice distorted by the fingers pinching her nose shut. She pulled her axe out and got ready.

They went into the cave, weapons drawn.

 

Astrid led the way into the cave. Fishlegs stood in the middle of the group, carrying the lit torch, which almost but not quite illuminated the entirety of the cave. The walls were smooth, and dripping wet. Hiccup borrowed a strip of cloth from Astrid and tied it around his metal foot, both to quiet the noise and to prevent the metal slipping on the slick floor. The air was dank, and only smelled worse the further in they went.

Soon, the tunnel narrowed, and they needed to go in twos, leaving Fishlegs in the middle and the others trying to walk around the sides.

The cave was silent except for their footsteps, and the beating of Hiccup’s heart, which he was absolutely certain everyone else could hear as clearly as he could.

A voice fluttered through the caverns.

“Right,” Astrid hissed, and they hugged the right hand side of the corridor. Fishlegs’s torch told Hiccup that they were passing two left turns.

The voices got a little louder.

Hiccup glanced over at Jack. He was padding along just in front of them, bare toes making no sound on the floor. He glanced back at Hiccup, and they shared a look of equal parts determination and uncertainty.

The voices had words now.

“Help! Help us!”

“Anybody, please!”

Jack broke into a run, and had soon left the torchlight behind.

Hiccup immediately pushed past Snotlout to try and keep up with him, and the others didn’t need any encouragement to follow. Next to Hiccup, Fishlegs’s breathing was short and panicky, and he thought he heard the bigger boy whimper.

Here, the air was so dank and the smell so unpleasant that it was getting hard to breathe. It was also getting warmer, a sign which Hiccup didn’t like in the slightest.

Hardsnoot and Young Hilde began screaming as soon as the torchlight hit them. Jack was behind them, watching the other side of the room, head moving rapidly from side to side.

“Hiccup, I don’t have a knife for the ropes!” he shouted, high and brittle.

Astrid and Hiccup reached the children first. Fishlegs was there a moment later with the light, and Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut stood around them, watching for anything in the dark.

Hiccup had to stifle a noise of horror as he saw the ropes Jack had talked about. The two children were trussed up like cuts of meat, the ropes so tight they were cutting off circulation to their tiny, pudgy blue fingers.

“Fishlegs, give the torches to Snotlout,” Hiccup said. “You take one lit torch and get them out of here.” There, almost free – just two more …

Fishlegs nodded, lit his second torch, gave it to Snotlout, and scooped up both children in his other arm, beginning to run for the exit.

“We have to go after the … Agnes,” Astrid said. “Come on.”

“There are too many tunnels,” Hiccup said. “We can’t split up in here.”

“Well, we have to find her somehow.”

“No,” Jack said, with a shiver in his voice. “We really don’t.”

Hiccup whipped his head around, and then he heard it – the padding footsteps of leather shoes, getting louder.

“Ah,” a voice said, echoing slightly in the tunnel. “Here to steal my skins, I suppose.”

Hiccup’s heart leaped into his throat. “Snotlout, give me the torch. You’re a better fighter.”

“You got it,” Snotlout hissed back.

“Alright, everyone gather around me,” Hiccup said, holding the torch high and slowly drawing out his sword hilt. “Don’t get outside the lantern light if you can help it at all.”

The footsteps grew louder and louder, and from one of the tunnels emerged the hunched woman from the coast. With her, she brought the stench of tanning leather and a chill that sapped what little warmth the air had left.

Snotlout screamed, lunged forward and swung his hammer. Agnes caught it with her long iron fingernails with a brief shower of sparks.

“But you brought … replacements? How nice of you! Even though your skin is such a rarity … so soft, after so long, and so much use … What a fool I was to let you go the first time …” She glanced at Jack, who lowered his head and gritted his teeth. Hiccup flicked his sword out and ignited it. The fire strengthened the torchlight a bit, but also made it harsher.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut were the next to attack, but the old woman flicked a hand and their axe handles cracked and split, rotting away in their hands until the heads clattered to the ground.

She turned her attention back to Snotlout, who whimpered in her grip.

“HICCUP!” Jack roared and leaped toward the Agnes with a rush of wind that made the torch gutter. “FIRE!”

“Astrid, keep her busy!” Hiccup shouted.

The hand flicked again, towards Jack’s staff, but a white frost had crept from his hands up the shaft, and the staff didn’t so much as pause in its swing. It cracked the old woman on the back of the head, and she startled enough to drop Snotlout, and to make an opening for Astrid and Hiccup. The axe bit into her neck, Hiccup’s sword swung down, and her old, dirty hair went up brighter than any torch.

They bolted, Hiccup pausing only to help Snotlout up and push him forward, urging him on. Jack brought up the rear, and Hiccup prayed that the mostly-snuffed flame on the torch would last until the exit.

Behind them, the screams finally petered out.

Hiccup watched Jack slip away backwards.

He glanced from the torch to Jack and back again. They couldn’t be far from the exit now …

“Torch is going out! Keep running!” he shouted, and turned on his heel to follow Jack back into the cave.

 

~

 

He reached Jack, panting, and sheltering the torch to preserve what was left of it.

“Jack, what in the name of Odin …”

Jack was kneeling over Agnes, poking the remains with his stick. He picked up an iron fingernail and pocketed it.

“Had to be sure she was dead,” he said, his voice flat and his face blank.

Hiccup hesitated. “Probably … probably for the best,” he said. “Come on. Astrid’s going to flip if we take any longer.”

Jack smacked the ground with his staff, and ice began to spread from it, across the floor of the room. He gritted his teeth and ground the staff into the ground, and the ice grew thicker and thicker. The moisture disappeared from the walls. The temperature dropped until Hiccup was breathing fog. When Jack stopped, the floor was covered with ice a foot thick, the ashes of Agnes encased in them, distorted by the reflections in the ice.

“Whoa,” Hiccup whispered, stepping back. Jack’s face was still hard and cold.

Jack shrugged. “I don’t want to take any chances,” he said.

Hiccup nodded. “Let’s get out.”

 

~

 

At the entrance to the cave, he snuffed the torch in the dirt and ran to Toothless who leaped on top of him, bowling him over and nuzzling him enthusiastically.

Astrid, lips pressed together, roughly shoved the Night Fury out of the way, and stepped on Hiccup’s shoulder.

“Astrid, can we try ask questions first, violence la-whff!”

She dropped her axe, haft-first, so it bounced off the sensitive spot at the bottom of his ribcage. All the breath went out of him and he just managed to cough out, “Why would you do that?”

“What happened?” she asked.

“Torch went out,” Hiccup said. “I thought taking it slow was better than getting lost.”

“You were _right behind us_!” Astrid said, gesturing wildly with the axe.

“You tripped,” Jack said. “And got disoriented for a moment.”

“I tripped.” With his free hand, Hiccup gestured towards the unravelling cloth on his metal foot. “I got disoriented for a bit in the dark.”

Astrid blew the hair out of her face, and with a grunt, helped him up. Hiccup leaned against Toothless, trying to catch his breath and slowly straighten up through the pain in his chest.

“Did you see her go up? Like a candle!” Snotlout marveled. “Whoosh!”

“I can’t believe we left our best axe-heads in there,” Ruffnut moaned.

“You’re right,” Tuffnut said. “You should go back in there for them.”

“Is now really the time?” Astrid snapped.

“Hey,” Hiccup said, putting a hand on her shoulder, the other still wrapped around his stomach. “We did it. We saved them. Agnes is dead. I think we’ve earned the right to a bit of a joke.”

She paused, then nodded. “You’re right,” she said. “Let’s go get some breakfast, everyone. I’m starving.”

Toothless pushed his head under Hiccup’s arm, to help him walk over to where it was clearer to take off.

“What happened back there?” Tuffnut asked. “I thought for sure she was going to get the torch, too, but she didn’t even go for you guys.”

“It looked like something distracted her,” Astrid said.

“Snotlout kicked her,” Jack told Hiccup.

“Snotlout must have kicked her when he saw us coming, right Snotlout?” Hiccup asked.

“Uh …” Snotlout hesitated, then realised he’d just been given a free pass to brag. “Yeah!” he said. “I heard you two coming, and I knew she’d get your weapons, so I kicked her as hard as I could, right in the knee!”

“Nice thinking,” Astrid said.

“Yeah, you know it, babe,” Snotlout said.

Astrid rolled her eyes.

Jack walked in the middle of the group, head held high and feet idly kicking at the ground as they went. He turned back around and gave Hiccup a smile that very nearly glowed.

“We did it!” he said.

Hiccup was stunned. Was this the same Jack? The one who had been so angry just a few minutes before? And he’d thought Vikings were prone to mood swings …

As they made their way back to the village, Hiccup noticed that Jack stole a couple of puzzled glances at him.

Good to know he apparently confused Jack as much as Jack confused him, at least. Though probably not for the same reasons.


	11. Snowballs and Fun Times

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the late update! I got home from work last night and kind of just crashed.
> 
> I didn’t really intend to write this chapter when I was planning this fic, but once I had actually started writing it, it was one of the easiest scenes to write, and I kept coming back to it when the rest of it got difficult and I needed a giggle.
> 
> Once again, thanks to everyone for reading this far! I'm loving the comments. You're all so nice to me!

The rest of the day was taken listlessly. After the huge rush and chaos of the morning, nobody seemed to have the energy for anything more strenuous than the basic needs of the day. Even Astrid agreed to let dragon training drop. Only the children seemed to have energy to spare, running around town as usual, whooping and listening rapt as Young Hilde told the story of the capture and the rescue.

Hiccup went to work with Gobber in the forge, but mostly he just ended up tweaking saddles. They’d tried to fill orders for a while, but nobody in town seemed to be coming to the forge, and eventually even Stoick had given up, telling Hiccup to spend the day as he pleased. Hiccup didn’t mind. He liked making saddles. They reminded him a little bit of the first saddle he ever made for Toothless, and the days of blessed escape from the village, when he first started to realise that maybe, just maybe, he could make friends with a dragon.

Gobber chatted away as he worked, about leather and steel and occasionally about trolls. Hiccup didn’t have to do much except make affirmative noises every so often. Jack had gone off exploring around the village and left him to this work, and he had some time to think.

The more he watched Jack, the more he was wondering whether they really needed to have a conversation at all. Jack, after the children were rescued, seemed to be right back to his lively, playful self – the Jack that Hiccup liked to go flying with, who mocked Toothless and scratched the dragon behind the ears until Hiccup was fairly sure that the dragon would prefer Jack to him, if only Jack would feed the ungrateful beast.

“A-hem,” Gobber said, tapping his right arm – currently a blacksmith’s hammer – on the table in front of Hiccup. “Pass me that chisel?” He indicated the one on the wall behind Hiccup.

“Sorry!” Hiccup hurried to grab the chisel and pass it over.

Gobber raised an eyebrow. “You and Astrid get back together?” he asked.

Hiccup nearly choked. “What? No! Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

Gobber shrugged. “Alright,” he said. “I just heard you two were arguing again … and now you’re in here, making saddles, a thousand miles away somewhere that puts …” he waved his hammer vaguely at Hiccup, “A rather interesting smile on your face. You can’t blame me for leaping to conclusions.”

“No!” Hiccup said. “I just … I had a little success yesterday with Toothless’s saddle, and we managed a new trick.” Was he really being that obvious? What if one of the others noticed?

What if Jack noticed?

Gobber rolled his eyes. “Well, don’t tell Stoick. You know what he’s like with you and your tricks.”

So, Hiccup reasoned, maybe Jack hadn’t minded the hug after all. They were friends, and by all accounts, Jack had had a rather trying day. Sometimes, you needed a hug. Nothing weird about that. And if Hiccup was the only one Jack could touch, well, what other option did he have?

As for the rest of it, they’d only known each other for a few days. Way too early for Hiccup to go prying into Jack’s business. There. No need to have any difficult conversations at all. But best he learn to keep his interesting smiles to himself.

He put the last few stitches into the saddle and held it up for inspection. Yes, that should hold.

“SNOW FIGHT!”

Hiccup and Gobber both started, shared a confused glance, and moved to the door to see what on Earth was going on.

 

~

 

With Gobber at the forge with Hiccup, Jack didn’t particularly fancy just sitting silently near Hiccup’s desk, so he went to explore around the town.

“Whoa! Careful there!” He stepped back away from some kids as they ran past in front of him. He slung his staff over his shoulder and watched them go. They joined up with some other kids, and ran off, giggling, in a group towards the dragon pens.

“No going out today,” a stern adult told them. “We’re all staying in the village for the day.”

Jack frowned. “Well, that’s no fun,” he said. “Wind, let’s go fix that.”

He lifted off and floated over to where the kids were, and listened to them for a minute deciding what they wanted to do.

“But you were In first last time!” one of the children whined.

Jack chuckled. “Gotta take turns, kids,” he said.

“We’ve played chase _all day_! I wanna go out to the good spot near the slopes …”

“Mum said we can’t go outside the village today.”

“But it’s _boring_ in the village!”

“I’m sure we can find something to do in the village,” Jack said, and looked up at the clouds. Hm. Perfect. They just needed a little encouragement. Berk could have an early Winter this year. He tapped his staff on the tree, and frost started to spread over it. Light flakes began to fall from the sky, thick and fast. The children glanced up.

“Snow!” one of them shouted and a few of them started giggling. Several of the younger ones stuck their tongues out, trying to catch flakes.

“I got one on my glove! Look!”

“I goh un oh a tuhg!”

“See?” Jack said. “Plenty of fun to be had in town.” He slipped down from the tree and ran his staff casually in a circle. Snowflakes burst from the crook of his staff, and soon there was a great swathe of snow covering half the town square.

“That should keep you going till the sky catches up with us,” Jack said, picking a snowball out of the pile, crushing it into a circle in his hand, and blowing on it. His breath sparkled and the snowball glowed an icy blue. He tossed it at one of the children.

“Hey!” she shouted, sparks dancing in front of her eyes, then gasped as she saw the huge pile of snow just waiting for them.

“SNOW FIGHT!” she shouted, and the children cheered and fell upon the snow.

Jack stuck his staff, butt-first, into the edge of the snow and hopped up to balance on it, chuckling as he looked over the children.

One of the younger ones giggled as he tried to form a snowball. Someone hit him with a ball, and he dropped all his snow. Undaunted, he tried again, only to have the ball crumble when he tried to throw it.

He sniffed.

“Whoops,” Jack said, and hopped down.

He swept the staff in front of the little boy, and a pile of perfect snowballs appeared.

“Here you go. Those ones are on me.”

At the noise and the laughter, people had started to gather in the square, looking up in confusion at the unseasonable snow storm.

“I didn’t think there’d be snow for a month yet!” someone commented.

“We must be having an early winter this year,” someone else said.

Hiccup and Gobber stood on the edge of the square, looking around. Jack grabbed some snow and hid it behind his back, jumping up onto a roof. Hiccup glanced at him, then quickly looked away – a habit Jack was now getting used to. Jack tried not to laugh out loud. Oh, the look on Hiccup’s face was going to be perfect …

He took the long way around the houses, strolling past little alcoves where snow was just starting to gather in thin layers. The snow in the square would soon be ice and slush underfoot, but the kids could have fun for a little while, at least, and then there would be something else to do. Tomorrow, there could be snowmen! And if they were allowed to go outside the village, Jack knew the perfect place for ice skating! He could convince Hiccup to come! They could make the twins fight on the ice!

The crowds were still watching the kids. Now Ruffnut and Tuffnut had gotten wind of the fun and had joined in enthusiastically, along with Snotlout and Fishlegs. Astrid was helping a small child with his snowball, while Hiccup lined up a snowball shot on her.

Jack, light on his feet, wandered up behind Hiccup, tugged the back of Hiccup’s tunic open with one finger and dumped his entire handful of snow down Hiccup’s back.

“Huargh!” Hiccup’s hands went immediately to the back of his neck, his snowball went flying, and Jack had to lean on his staff to keep from falling over laughing.

“Whoever did that will pay!” Hiccup shouted, pretending to look around, then turned back directly into the face-full of snow in Astrid’s hand.

“Mmph!”

“Don’t think I didn’t see you aiming that snowball,” Astrid said. “You need to learn to watch your back, Hiccup Haddock.”

Hiccup wiped snow out of his eyes. “I threw nothing at you!” he protested.

“You were going to!”

Hiccup went to collect his errant snowball. “Hey, Astrid,” he said. “Bet you can’t hit Snotlout in the face from here.”

“Are you kidding?” Astrid asked, taking the snowball off him. “It would be my genuine pleasure.”

While she aimed, Hiccup turned to glare at Jack, who held up his hands. “You want to throw a snowball at thin air, fine by me,” he said.

“Later,” Hiccup mouthed at him.

Astrid growled. “If he’d just stop ducking behind Fishlegs …”

“Excuses,” Hiccup huffed.

Jack touched down on the snow lightly behind them both.

Hiccup glanced down. His eyes widened in terror. Jack showed him the handful of snow he had, and gave Hiccup his sweetest grin.

“Astrid! Wait! NO!”

But it was too late. Jack had already tipped snow into her left boot.

Astrid screeched and turned to Hiccup in fury. “Hiccup, I will MURDER YOU.”

Hiccup backed away. “I tried to warn you!” he said. “Why would I warn you if that was me?”

Astrid narrowed her eyes.

“Give me the snowball, Astrid,” Hiccup said.

“Why, so you can throw it at me?”

“So _you_ can’t throw it at _me_!”

Astrid blew her hair out of her face. “No. Get your own snowball.”

Astrid turned, aimed, and pelted the snowball clear across the square. It hit Snotlout directly in the nose.

“Unfair!” he shouted from the ground.

Astrid scooped up some snow, made a snowball, and tossed it to Hiccup. “Your turn,” she said. “Get Ruffnut. She deserves it.”

“Your wish is my command,” Hiccup said. “And I promise not to ask why.”

Jack spotted some kids trying to make a snowman, and went over to give them a bit more snow to work with. Hiccup and Astrid could entertain themselves from here. He chuckled. The look on Hiccup’s face when Astrid had come after him with the snowball had been almost worth not being able to actually have a snowball fight with his friend.

Sometimes being invisible had its advantages.

That was when the snowball hit him directly in the ear.

“Hiccup, what sort of a throw was that?” Astrid asked.

“Whoops,” Hiccup said, deadpan. “Missed. Let me get another one and try again.”

Jack wiped snow out of his collar and off his face and conceded that he had probably deserved that.


	12. Good Intentions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel bad for being late with the last chapter, so I decided to post an extra one this week. Next chapter goes up Tuesday as normal, and then we're back on standard schedule.

When the kids were finally convinced to leave the snow for the evening, with promises that if there was snow in the morning, they could go right back to their snowball fight then _and not before_ , everyone filed into the dining hall for an early dinner.

Jack had left Hiccup to have dinner with his friends alone while he caught his breath outside in the snow. Yes. Yes, that had been exactly what he needed.

Hiccup came out much earlier than he expected. They just about had the town to themselves – everybody else was still in the dining hall, or in their own homes. Oh, thank goodness. Jack had been starting to worry about getting bored. The children might have been convinced to calm down, but he was full of restless energy. He needed to _do_ something with the excitement or he might burst.

So, Jack ran and launched himself at Hiccup. He’d been intending to tackle Hiccup into a snowdrift behind them. However, Hiccup was considerably broader than Jack, as well as a bit taller, and Jack only succeeded in making him step back a few paces. This left Jack and Hiccup still perfectly upright, Jack’s arms wrapped tight around Hiccup’s ribcage, standing alone in the snow.

Jack stepped back quickly and crossed his arms. “You were supposed to fall over,” he said. Was that awkward? Oh, that had been awkward.

“Sorry,” Hiccup said, reaching up to rearrange his fringe, and shooting Jack a grin past his hand. “Maybe if you weighed a little more …”

Jack chuckled and they walked off towards the hut. After a moment, he realised that the silence had suddenly become awkward.

He glanced back at Hiccup, who was looking away at the houses and the snowdrifts, anywhere but Jack.

“I, uh … I didn’t make things weird between you and Astrid again?” he guessed. _Please let it not be the hug, please let it not be the hug_ …

Hiccup shook his head, smiling suddenly. “No,” he said. “I mean, my life was in serious danger for a few minutes there, but that isn’t _weird_.”

“Good. I was wondering whether I’d gone a bit too far.” The image of Hiccup’s face as Astrid had come at him with the snowball flashed through his mind and he started to chuckle.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re hilarious,” Hiccup said. “You’re just lucky I can’t get you back in public.”

Jack’s good mood flickered a bit, but he put it out of his mind. He’d gotten used to it, he reminded himself. This was a welcome bonus, not a reminder of what he was missing. He glanced up at the Moon, which was now approaching full.

“How come you’re leaving the hall so early?” Jack asked.

Hiccup shrugged. “I’m just tired,” he said. “I told them I needed to take my foot off.” He gestured down to the metal foot.

“Does it hurt?” Jack asked.

Hiccup shrugged. “A bit, especially when it’s very cold and I’ve been wearing it for too long. No matter how much cloth I pad it with, it always chafes eventually.”

Jack looked around at the snow. “Oh,” he said.

“And you know me, I’ve got the good luck to be living in Berk,” Hiccup said, waving his arms. “Where it’s always cold!”

Jack chuckled along with Hiccup, and tried think of a topic to change to, before he made Hiccup more uncomfortable.

Hiccup tapped Jack on the shoulder, and Jack nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Heh. Sorry,” Hiccup said, then pointed, his arm close to Jack’s face so that Jack could follow his finger. “See that?” he asked.

A flock of dragons, tiny ones, unidentifiable from this distance, was flying past the moon.

“Whoa,” Jack said.

“If you keep an eye out, you can see them pretty much every evening around this time.”

Hiccup took his arm away. He turned and started to open the door to the hut, then paused, and sat down against the door.

Jack joined him, tucking his legs up and leaning his staff against the wall next to him.

“This isn’t the end of the weirdness, is it?” Hiccup asked.

Jack sighed. “No,” he admitted. “No, I don’t think it is.”

“What do we do now?”

Jack looked up at the Man in the Moon, who was shining through a gap in the clouds, and only half to Hiccup said. “I don’t know. Sure would be nice if someone would tell us.”

The Man in the Moon did not speak.

The silence got awkward again. Hiccup was looking at Jack with an eyebrow raised.

Jack waved a hand. “Long story,” he said. “I’ll let you get used to … everything else first.”

“You know,” Hiccup said. “I think you might just have convinced me about the Spirit of Winter thing.”

“Oh, good,” Jack said. “I should tip snow down the backs of people who doubt me more often.”

“If you can get away with it, why wouldn’t you?”

Jack couldn’t take his eyes off the Moon, even though he couldn’t see him anymore behind the clouds. He sighed. “I think I have to go,” he said.

“What?” Hiccup asked. “Why?”

“I need to go find out what’s going on, which means I need to try and pay North a visit,” Jack said. “He’s …” He hesitated. How best to explain without needing to go into the topic of the Moon? “He generally knows a bit more about these things than me.”

Hiccup nodded. “When are you leaving?”

“I’ll go tomorrow,” Jack said. “That way, maybe I can be back before something else happens here.”

Hiccup shrugged, and grinned at him. “We’re Vikings,” he said. “We can handle most things that come along.”

Jack smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.

There. They were smiling again. Good. Jack wished he could keep Hiccup smiling forever. He crossed his arms across the tops of his knees and rested his chin on his forearms. He didn’t want to go back to his tree. He’d had such a good day. He didn’t want it to end. He wanted the company.

Hiccup groaned and stood up. “I’m tired,” he said. “I’m going to sleep.”

“Sure,” Jack said, trying to sound nonchalant. He stood up and kicked his staff up into his hand. “Guess I’ll go back to camp, then.”

“Uh-huh,” Hiccup said. Jack frowned. What was that about? Hiccup had that Look again, the one he couldn’t place. It made something in his chest twist oddly.

Hiccup opened the door to the hut and Toothless came bounding out, nudging Hiccup for scratches.

“I told you, you spoil him too much,” Hiccup told Jack with a mischievous twitch of his lips. “Looks like he’s all yours for a few nights.”

Toothless nuzzled all the way up Jack’s neck and face, and Jack raised his arms and staff to protect himself from the huge dragon, laughing. “You sure?” he asked Hiccup.

“Better ask Toothless if he’s sure,” Hiccup said. “It was his decision. And I’ll get to sleep in for once, right Bud?”

Toothless gurgled.

Jack made a show of resignation, but secretly he was a little glad that it wouldn’t be just him and the Moon that night.

 

~

 

Toothless followed Jack to his tree and perched on a branch nearby as Jack got settled in.

“Well, boy,” he said. “This is it. The residence of the one and only Jack Frost. Get comfortable. Make yourself at home.”

Toothless landed in a nearby tree, and looked around, at the ground and the trees in shock.

Jack chuckled. “What?” he asked. “You don’t like sleeping in trees?” Well, that’s alright – you can sleep anywhere you like.”

He got settled in his favourite crook between branches, and leaned the staff up so it wouldn’t fall. He put his hands behind his head and lay back, closing his eyes.

There was a growling noise.

Jack opened one eye and looked over at Toothless, who was looking at him with eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Um,” he said. “You … you alright there, Toothless?”

The dragon looked around pointedly, then back at Jack.

Jack spread his arms. “What, do dragons need pillows now? What do you want?”

Toothless looked again, and nudged his head towards Jack, then back towards town.

Jack rubbed his eyes. “Ugh. Um, alright, we’ll play guessing games. You don’t like something about the woods.”

Toothless purred, eyes bright.

“Right. And … it has something to do with me.”

More purring.

“And about Hiccup?”

The purring paused, and the dragon cocked its head.

Jack couldn’t believe he was playing Twenty Questions with a giant lizard.

“You … want to go back to town because it’s more comfortable. I’m not stopping you, Toothless. You can sleep where you please.”

He lay back again, but Toothless grunted until he opened his eyes and looked up.

Toothless nudged his head towards Jack, and then at the village.

“You want … me to go back and sleep in the village, because you think I’ll be more comfortable.”

Toothless jumped up and down on the tree, making the branch shake. Jack grabbed at his staff and the branches to steady himself.

“Whoa, whoa, boy, just … just calm down. Look, I happen to like sleeping out in the open air. It’s a nice night, the moon is bright, and my tree –” he patted the bark “– is very comfortable, thank you very much.”

Toothless slumped, rolled his eyes and lunged at Jack. He caught the boy by the back of his cloak and took off into the sky, carrying Jack with him.

Jack flailed, trying to hit Toothless with his staff, but from this position, every blow he could land on the dragon was glancing.

“Wretched lizard,” he muttered as Toothless landed outside Hiccup’s door, grunting to be let in.

Hiccup opened the door and leaned on the doorframe. He’d already taken his foot off, and the end of his trouser leg dangled empty.

“Toothless,” he greeted them. “Jack.”

“I wasn’t aware your pets got power of veto in my sleeping arrangements,” Jack said.

“Toothless is a fairly large dragon,” Hiccup pointed out. “He gets power of veto on pretty much anything he chooses. Toothless, you can put him down now.”

Toothless gurgled and gently lowered Jack to the ground. Jack straightened out his cloak, and glared at Toothless. He knew letting either of the two in on his sleeping arrangements would be a bad idea. He felt exposed, like a book open on a table.

“Look,” Hiccup said. “If you really want to go and sleep at your … camp … we’ll let you.”

Toothless growled.

“Toothless will let you go, too,” Hiccup said firmly to the dragon. “Won’t you, Toothless?”

Toothless mumbled unhappily.

“I just had to know where you were sleeping,” Hiccup confessed. “So I asked Toothless to investigate.”

Jack couldn’t believe it. “You _asked him_ to follow me?”

Hiccup gave him that Look again, with the little frown, and Jack felt that burning lump in his throat. He couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Sorry,” Hiccup said, finally looking away. “It’s your business.”

“Why do you care so much?” Jack asked. “I’m a Spirit of Winter, remember? It’s not like there’s anything out there that will actually hurt me, especially not the weather.”

Hiccup looked profoundly uncomfortable. “I thought you might like the company,” he said.

“Why couldn’t you trust me to ask?” Jack wasn’t sure what made his chest hurt more, the fact that Hiccup had just barged in and assumed, or the fact that he was absolutely right. He’d noticed, when he shouldn’t have known. Jack was supposed to bring snow fights and ice skating and laughter as you tipped cold snow down your friend’s neck. Nobody was supposed to see him. Nobody was supposed to _notice_ things about him! Especially without his permission!

“I should have,” Hiccup said. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m going back,” Jack said. Something swiped the side of his head, just hard enough to sting.

Toothless had flicked Jack with his tail.

“Toothless!” Hiccup warned. “Just … go inside.”

With a roll of his eyes and a shake of his shoulders, Toothless walked past Jack into the hut.

Hiccup rubbed his eyes. “That stubborn lizard, I swear to Thor … Jack, I really am sorry. I should have just …”

Jack gripped his staff. His face was burning. His ear stung. He’d finally, finally placed that Look of Hiccup’s that he hated.

It was concern.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he said, and went back to his tree.

**  
**


	13. Bringing Winter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you North popped up a lot.

Jack left early in the morning, without saying goodbye to Hiccup.

“Wind, take me to North,” he said, and he was lifted out of his tree and away towards the North Pole.

The islands below him grew small, until each of them looked like one entity on its own, not bodies of land with people and sheep and snowball fights and meddling damned dragons.

He sighed. He still couldn’t decide whether he’d been unkind to Hiccup or not. On one hand, he’d been only trying to help. On the other hand, how dare he pry into Jack’s business? Jack thought he’d made it perfectly clear to Hiccup that he didn’t want Hiccup involved in certain things, and yet …

What was worse was that Jack was so afraid of losing Hiccup’s company that he was even having trouble getting angry.

Up this high, the wind blew hard. It made Jack’s eyes water.

Here he was, coming up on North’s workshop. He took a moment on the roof to wipe his eyes dry, and dropped through the hole in the roof of the globe room.

Immediately, he was surrounded by grunting yetis.

“Hey, relax,” he said, as one of them grabbed his arm. “I’m just here to see the big guy. Can you let him know I’m here?”

The yeti grumbled, and yodeled at one of his workmates, who saluted and ambled out of the room.

A few minutes later, the yeti returned with North.

“Jack Frost!” North said, holding out his hands. “Phil, you can let go. I think maybe Jack isn’t up to mischief this time?” He raised an eyebrow at Jack.

“Uh, no, sir,” Jack said, and grinned what he hoped was an innocent grin up at the yeti.

The yeti mumbled and relinquished Jack’s arm, throwing its huge hands up in the air.

“Phil?” Jack asked.

“Yes, Phil is good worker.  Very protective of workshop. Come with me! Cookies?”

Jack didn’t respond, so North continued on anyway. “Dingle! Bring cookies. Phil will make tea, and we will talk!”

The little elf – presumably Dingle – tottered off, its little belled hat jingling.

“Dingle!” North called.

The elf turned around, pointing to itself.

“Yes, you. Fruitcake also. Cookies and fruitcake!”

Dingle continued on his unsteady way.

“Uh,” Jack said. “I’m not really here for …”

“Now, Jack, we must be civilized. When we have company, we make tea and give cookies. It is tradition! Now –”

They turned into a huge hall, which looked like some sort of dining hall, except that it had blueprints and plans scattered all over the table.

The elves were already there, sitting on the table, licking a cookie each. As North entered, they paused, dropped the cookies back onto the plate, and scurried off.

North, appearing not to notice, took a cookie and put it in his mouth. He offered the plate to Jack. “Hm?” he offered.

Jack looked from North to the cookies. “Um. No … thank you. I’m fine.”

North shrugged took another cookie, and sat down at the table. “Now, Jack. What is problem?”

“Problem? No problem,” Jack said, crossing his legs on North’s chair, which was so large he felt like a child sitting in it. “Just, uh … came to ask something.”

The door opened and Jack watched, more than a little fascinated, as Phil the Yeti came in, balancing a silver tea service on one hand, and placed it on the table next to the cookies. Delicately, with two fingers, he lifted up the pot and poured tea into two teacups, tiny and flimsy in his hands. He picked up one cup and put it in front of Jack, and then the other in front of North.

Jack smiled as politely as he could and made a show of sipping the tea. It was … tea.

The yeti nodded approvingly, and left.

North downed his tea in one gulp, with an expansive sigh of enjoyment, and poured another. Then, he folded his fingers together, leaned forward over the table. “Now, Jack Frost. What is the question you need to ask?”

“More like … questions,” Jack said. “I went to Berk, like the Man in the Moon asked.”

North’s face became sombre. “Ah, yes. What did you find?”

Jack explained about Agnes, and the stolen children. He left out his involvement in the whole affair – he told the story as if he’d snuck along with the others when they went to look for her, and as if they’d found her in the book on their own.

North raised his eyebrows once or twice, but did not interrupt. When Jack had finished, he whistled and put another cookie in his mouth. Jack wondered if he should point out that he had very definitely seen an elf licking that one.

“You should finish tea,” North said. “Phil is very particular. It is good to be on his good side.” He winked at Jack, who obediently picked up the teacup and had another sip. He didn’t much care for hot beverages. The taste was pleasant, he supposed, but hot beverages had always sort of reminded him that people liked to get rid of the cold. He finished the tea in a few gulps.

“I will talk to other Guardians,” North promised. “We will come up with ideas.”

Jack nodded. Would he get to know about the idea? Probably not, at least if Bunny had his way. He nodded. “Sure,” he said, and quickly put his hand over the teacup so North couldn’t fill it again.

“Would you like … something else to eat?” North asked. “Place to stay the night?”

Jack shook his head. “No,” he said. “I’ve got some Winters to bring before I get back to Berk. Thanks for, uh …” he glanced at the cookies with their perfect, glistening icing. “For the tea. I’m sure you’re very busy.”

He stood up, and North stood with him. “Fine, fine,” North said, waving a hand. “We will be in touch, yes?”

“Yeah,” Jack said again, then hesitated. “North?”

“Yes, Jack?”

“I do have one more question.”

“What is it?”

“I want to know more about … being seen. When people believe in you.”

“Ah,” North said. “Is good question. Difficult question. For example: Before there was Santa Claus, there was still wonder and delight and presents on special days. But after Santa Claus,” he patted himself on the chest “Somebody had to say ‘There is huge man at North Pole who delivers presents’! Then people believe, and can see. Before Jack Frost, there was still winter. Now, there is tiny boy who makes the snow come. But maybe not enough people are saying ‘Look! Look for tiny white-haired boy! He is making the snow!’ And so, people cannot see.”

Jack sighed. “Thanks, North,” he said.

“Jack,” North said sadly. “I am sorry I cannot help more.”

Jack shrugged. “No big deal. I mean, it’s not your fault, right?”

North nodded.

Jack made his way back to the globe room, where Phil was still standing, making notes.

“Thanks for the tea, Phil,” he said, and leaped up, into the air, and out the roof of North’s palace.

 

~

 

Jack skirted around the base of the mountains that North’s workshop was built on. What he had told North was true – he did have to go and bring Winter down from the poles. He made a mental list of all the places. Shouldn’t take him too long – a few days maybe.

He turned South and flew till the snow was gone. He swooped down, running his staff along the grass, turning the ground white with frost. He took a stroll over the lake, ice spreading out from his feet. In the town, he made a game out of touching the corners of all of the roofs first, and icing a few doorsteps for good measure. He jumped up onto a barn to check that he hadn’t missed anything.

“Such pretty patterns.”

Jack whirled around. There was someone on the roof with him, a tall, thin man in a black robe, with a sharp nose and long fingers, tracing his designs.

“You must be Jack Frost,” the man said.

Jack narrowed his eyes. “Who wants to know?”

“Pitch,” the man greeted him, holding out a hand. “Pitch Black.”

Jack shook the offered hand, and stood up. “I take it you’re more like North and Tooth, then?”

Pitch laughed, low in his throat. “Yes and no. I’m just here regarding that … nastiness over on your little island.”

“Not my island,” Jack said.

Pitch tilted his head and nodded once. “Good,” he said. “Just … checking.”

“Why, you want it? There’s a few people on it who might have something to say about that. They have these huge axes …” Jack said.

“Me? No. Listen, Jack, I’m not asking much. Just … let North do what North does, let us do what we do.”

Jack tapped his staff on his shoulder and waved a hand nonchalantly. “Hey, no fear of that,” he said. “North as good as told me he didn’t want me involved, so …”

“Well, I guess that settles that, then,” Pitch Black said.

“I guess it does.”

Jack took off, glancing back at Pitch. Well, then. He was definitely dropping North a note about that on the way back.

 


	14. Return to the Cave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst AND plot! I can multitask!
> 
> Also, early upload because I have a group presentation tomorrow and I'll be so wiped out I'll probably forget to upload if I leave it till then.

Toothless had been staring at Hiccup for several minutes now, waiting for Hiccup to walk down the hill to get breakfast for the both of them.

Hiccup was looking at the roof where Jack wasn’t sitting. His stomach dropped.

“I’m a horrible person, Toothless,” he said.

Toothless made a humming noise in his throat and nudged Hiccup.

Hiccup chuckled and scratched the dragon behind the ears. “Thanks, bud,” he said. “He left without saying goodbye, didn’t he?” Hiccup sighed and ran a hand over his face. “We went too far,” he said. “Should have just left him alone. Stupid!” It was so clear now that everything had been such a mistake.  He’d been so selfish. He’d just barged in on Jack’s business, and it hadn’t even been entirely because he was worried about Jack being lonely.

No, secretly he’d done it because he really, really hoped that he could convince Jack to stay in the hut. With him. That Jack wanting to fly with him and laugh with him … and tackle him to say hello … might mean that Jack also liked Hiccup the same way Hiccup liked Jack. The sensible part of Hiccup’s mind told him that wasn’t the case – Jack was always laughing, loved flying anyway, and most of all, hadn’t touched another human in _eighty years_ , so really, it was pretty likely that Jack might want some physical contact without it meaning anything special about his feelings.

And yet, he’d let the stupid part of his brain make the decision.

Toothless gurgled.

“Alright, alright, you’re hungry. Let’s go,” Hiccup said. “I can moan at you later.”

Hiccup fetched Toothless his breakfast, and then went to the hall for his own. Everyone was waiting for him at the table.

“Uh … Everybody’s looking ominous this morning.” He sat down with his bowl and spoon.

“We’ve been talking,” Astrid said. “What’s next?”

Hiccup hesitated. “Next?” Why were they asking him?

“Yeah,” Tuffnut said. “We took care of the creepy witch lady, but Astrid thinks there’s going to be more trouble coming.”

“You two are getting to be as paranoid as each other,” Snotlout said.

Hiccup rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Astrid is right. This isn’t over. But I don’t know what to do next. I don’t know whether we’re going to be facing the same thing or something else entirely.”

Everyone shared glances around the table. Hiccup glanced at Astrid. Had that been right? Was that what she wanted him to say?

“Well,” Astrid said finally, “We could go back to the cave and look for clues.”

Hiccup nodded. “Alright. At least we’ll be doing something.”

 

~

 

After breakfast, they saddled up their dragons and headed back out to the cave.

“The smell’s gone,” Astrid pointed out.

Hiccup suddenly remembered Jack freezing the floor of the cave. “Strange,” he said.

They entered the caves. They’d brought two lanterns this time, which together cast much better light over the walls and floor of the cave. Hiccup ran a finger down the nearest wall. Only a little water, nowhere near as slick as last time.

“Whoa. What … what happened here?” Astrid had come across the frozen cavern.

Hiccup nudged the ice with his foot. It was still as thick and solid as it had been when Jack made it. He stepped onto it cautiously. His metal foot made a horrible noise against the ice, and Hiccup didn’t trust it not to slip.

Astrid hopped up, followed by Snotlout and the twins.

“Here, hold the lantern for us,” Snotlout said, passing his over.

“Do you need some help?” Fishlegs asked, holding the other lantern up.

“Yeah,” Hiccup sighed. “I know Agnes is dead, but I’m still not too thrilled at the idea of being left here. Anyone got some spare cloth?”

Fishlegs did, and Hiccup wrapped up his metal foot. It wasn’t very stable, but at least he could walk.

“It goes all the way down here,” Astrid said. “Look!”

Hiccup caught up and peered past her. The two tunnels leading off the back of the cave were iced over, too, so that it was impossible to walk through them without ducking.

“This must be why it doesn’t smell anymore,” Astrid said, pointing to the room at the end of the tunnel.

This was the tanning room, racks and racks of skins hanging, pots of suspicious substances on a workbench, and scraping and cutting tools lined up. Hiccup was incredibly glad that most of the hanging skins were instantly recognizable as lamb. Everything in the room was encased in ice, great mounds of it piling up over the hanging racks and the barrels in the corner.

Astrid turned to look at Hiccup, who shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I have no idea!”

“Let’s try the other tunnel,” Fishlegs suggested.

At the end of the other tunnel, there was nothing but a great pool of water, now iced over. Hiccup urged Fishlegs forward for a better look. They all gathered around the pool.

Astrid hit the ice with the butt of her axe, and listened to the _thunk_.

“It’s very thick,” she said. “I wonder why –”

_Smack!_

A face and a hand hit the bottom of the ice, one-eyed, mouth gaping, and completely and utterly skinless, yellowish veins pulsing visibly in red flesh.

With a collective shriek that made the cave ring, the dragon riders jumped back from the pool. Hiccup’s cloth wrap slipped and he fell backwards. He scooted back as fast as possible, metal foot shaving ice off whenever he tried to get purchase with it.

After a few moments of huddled silence, they realized it wasn’t trying to get through the ice. Tuffnut was the first to let out the breath he’d been holding, and the others followed soon after.

“What _was_ that?” Ruffnut asked.

“Next, would be my guess,” Hiccup said, retying the cloth over his foot

Fishlegs came and offered him an arm up. “Are you alright, Hiccup?”

“I’ll live,” Hiccup said. “Come on, let’s just out of here. I think we need to get you back to that library.”

On the way out through the caves, Hiccup glanced over at where Jack had buried Agnes’s remains in ice.

“Wait,” he said, and pointed over. “I need to get a closer look.”

Everyone paused, while he hobbled over to get a closer look.

“Gone,” Hiccup said. “Agnes’s remains. They’re gone.”

Nobody spoke for a long time.

“I don’t like this,” Snotlout said. “I don’t like this at all.”

 

~

 

Flying back to the village, Hiccup looked out over the ocean. He squinted. There was something moving out there. Was it just him, or had he caught a glimpse of red…?

Fishlegs went immediately to the library. Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Snotlout headed off who knew where.

“Dragon training?” Astrid offered.

Hiccup shook his head. “No,” he said. “I need to get to the forge.”

He had a few ideas he wanted to test out.

 


	15. Visiting the Guardians

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Astute readers will notice that Australia was not colonized until approximately two hundred years after this, according to the new timeline. Therefore, Bunny’s accent is horrifically anachronistic.  
> I would like to offer for your consideration the possibility that in this timeline we have it all wrong.  
> Bunny does not have an Australian accent.  
> Australians have a Bunny accent.
> 
> (also aaaaa 1000 hits, you guys! Thank you all for reading!!)

Jack laughed. There was nothing quite like seeing kids waking up on the morning of the first winter snow. He’d started five snowball fights that morning alone, chasing the sun to keep up with the dawn. This was perfect. Go somewhere, have fun, leave, have fun somewhere else. His mind felt clear for the first time in days.

He called on the wind and careened up into the sky. Just for a moment, he remembered Hiccup laughing at him.

_Maybe if you flew in a straight line …_

Jack closed his eyes as if that could make the memory go away, and headed up into the clouds, then above them where they were still the colour of sunrise. For a few moments, he tried to distract himself with the way the clouds swirled and shifted as he passed. But after a few moments, he found himself chuckling at the memory again, and then remembering Hiccup’s face as he’d looked out over the clouds while they flew.

He groaned. He didn’t want to be angry with Hiccup, but every time he thought about the Viking, his stomach just _twisted_. Did he not want to be angry just because he didn’t want to be alone anymore?

Maybe. But was that really a bad reason? Hiccup was funny. He was fun, too. He was good company to go flying with, and he was so … excited about things! Jack wanted to take him to all the islands of Berk, just to see his face light up and then watch him as he sketched the island onto his map. He wanted to always make Hiccup laugh, and he wanted to share that laughter.

Hiccup said sorry, and he seemed to understand why Jack was been angry. So maybe they could talk it out. After Jack was finished here, he’d go back and he’d find out if they could patch things up.

Maybe he’d even start spending the nights in the hut. He was curious what the inside of the hut might look like. He could have the company, and Hiccup could stop worrying about him being alone and sad. That was a good compromise, right?

But he really did need to drop in on North first.

As he dipped below the clouds again, the sound of laughter drifted up to him.

Alright. He’d play for just an hour. Then to North, and then to Berk.

 

~

 

By the time he reached North’s workshop, night was falling, and he was out of breath, face aching from smiling, and thoroughly refreshed.

He dropped in through the hole in the roof, right on the Guardians’ meeting.

All talk stopped as soon as he entered. He walked past the globe to where he could see them all properly.

North, Tooth, Sandy, Bunny.

North held up his hand to stop the yetis running in and grabbing Jack again.

“Jack,” North said, a note of exasperation in his voice. “Workshop has door for a reason.”

“Roof was quicker,” Jack explained. “I’ve got some news.”

“What is it?” Tooth asked.

“I spoke to someone called … Pitch Black?” Jack said. “He asked me to stay out of whatever’s happening in Berk.”

The Guardians exchanged looks.

“Pitch?” North asked.

“Yeah. Pitch Black,” Jack repeated. “He said something about keeping out of what ‘we’ were doing on Berk.”

North frowned. “That is indeed interesting. Thank you, Jack.”

There the conversation stopped.

“What?” Jack asked. “That’s it? Pat on the head, see you kid?”

“What do you want from us?” Bunny asked, spreading his paws. “You’re not a Guardian. We barely trust you as it is! You come here asking for our help, and then you just expect to be invited into the discussion?”

“Bunny,” Tooth cautioned.

Jack gritted his teeth. “Yeah? Well, the Man in the Moon seemed pretty insistent I go to Berk, right North? So I guess I’m involved … and it’s over your head.” He glanced up at Bunny’s ears.

There was silence.

“Right, North?” Jack repeated. “The Man in the Moon said I had to go to Berk. So I’m supposed to be involved somehow, right?”

“Jack …” North began.

Oh, no. Jack knew that tone.

“Jack, it’s not that we don’t want your help on this,” Tooth began, but North cut her off.

“Jack,” he said firmly. “The most helpful thing you can do is keep eyes on Berk. You _are_ involved. Come tell us if anything – _anything_ – happens, yes?”

Jack stared at them for a moment in disbelief, then he threw his staff into his other hand. “Fine,” he said. “You’re welcome, I guess.”

And he flew up and out through the roof.

Back to Berk. But he wasn’t going straight to Hiccup. He’d have a little fun first, to clear his head.

 


	16. Apology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow's going to get busy, so I'm uploading early, to avoid forgetting.
> 
> Aww, Hiccup’s still trying to ignore the fact that he’s head over heels for Jack.  
> How adorable.

Hiccup led the others back from dragon training in the woods, trying to ignore the twins’ endless bickering and Snotlout bragging about something or other that he’d done. Jack Frost had apparently done the trick, because it had been snowing gently for the past two days, and Hiccup was starting to feel the drop in Berk’s already chilly temperatures.

Hiccup felt a little pang in his chest. He wished he knew when Jack was coming back, so that he could try to apologise.

Everyone had stopped talking.

“Hiccup?” Astrid asked.

“Hm?”

“Just asking what was on your mind,” Astrid said.

“Nothing,” Hiccup said. “Just a bit tired. Worked in the forge until late last night. Besides … everything that’s going on.”

Hiccup realised that he was just a little bit glad that there were monsters in Berk, to give him an excuse for being tense and distracted. Not _very_ glad, but … a little bit. Of all the things he never thought he’d think …

Snotlout shuddered. Astrid nodded. Even the twins were silent for a moment.

“I guess we’ll just see if Fishlegs has managed to find anything useful when we get back,” Hiccup said.

“He seemed excited about something last time I saw him,” Astrid said, though Hiccup wondered if she was trying to sound more optimistic than she really felt.

“Hey, look at that!” Ruffnut said, pointing over towards the village.

When they had left the village, it was covered in snow.

Now, there was nearly none. All of it had been gathered into a giant army of snowmen through the town.

They landed and headed into the village. Kids were running everywhere, patting snow down, older siblings helping smaller children with snowmen that just wouldn’t stay together.

And in the middle of it all, Hiccup heard a very familiar voice.

“Need a bit more for that head? There ya go. Whoops, don’t run that way, kid, you’ll break someone’s snowman.”

A small child yelped, slipping on some ice, and fell with a harmless _paf_ into a snowdrift.

Hiccup met Jack’s eyes as he stood up.

A pang went through his chest. Odin, he wasn’t prepared for this. Why did he have to fall for Jack Frost? It was making everything so much more difficult.

Jack’s smile slipped for just a second, and Hiccup hated, for the millionth time, that he had to pretend not to see him. He tried not to look as Jack landed gently beside them.

“Whose idea was this?” Astrid wondered aloud.

“Well,” Jack said fondly. “It’s amazing what kids can do in an afternoon if they put their minds to it.”

Hiccup shrugged. “Kids can be pretty determined,” he said, hoping that Jack would work out that meant Hiccup wanted to include him in the conversation.

Astrid frowned at him. “Hiccup, you’ve got that funny look on your face again.”

Jack held up his hands. “Hey, don’t worry about me. I’m gone.”

Hiccup had to stop himself from putting his head into his hands. Answering Astrid was the sensible thing to do. Telling Jack not to leave was probably the right thing to do. But talking to thin air would cause ... so many problems.

“What, I’m not allowed to be a little stressed?” he asked Astrid, bristling. “I mean, this is cute and all, but we still have _huge_ problems. So forgive me if maybe I’m having a little difficulty relaxing.”

He turned to leave – time to figure out exactly how he was going to approach everything.

Astrid caught his shoulder as he went. “Hiccup, I’m sorry. I’m just …”

“No, I’m sorry,” Hiccup said, sighing. That hadn’t been fair to Astrid, not even a little bit. “I shouldn’t have snapped. I’m just a little anxious at the moment.”

Astrid nodded. “We all are,” she said. “We should talk about it.”

“Not … right now. But thanks. I will. Sometime. I mean, soon.”

Hiccup shrugged her off and walked away before he could dig the hole deeper.

 

~

 

He found Jack supervising snowman construction halfway across town. The child in question was having trouble with the base of the snowman cracking.

Jack touched the snowman with his staff, and as the child nervously removed her hands, ice spread over the snow, keeping the base whole and in place.

Hiccup tried to make the smallest “come with me” gesture he possibly could. Jack seemed to get the message, though, because he nodded and followed Hiccup back over to Toothless.

“I’m taking Toothless back out for a ride,” Hiccup shouted to the others. “Relieve a bit of stress, you know?” He patted Toothless’s neck, but looked at Jack over the Night Fury’s saddle. “Want to go flying?”

“Well, I’m always up for flying.”

Was it just Hiccup, or had Jack not sounded enthusiastic about that? Oh, Hiccup had messed up worse than he’d thought. He mounted Toothless and they took off, Jack following on behind them, trailing his staff.

“Smooth,” Jack told Hiccup, with a hint of his usual humour.

“We need a better system,” Hiccup grumbled. “Astrid won’t stop asking me what’s going on.”

“Flying is a good system,” Jack said, closing his eyes and letting the wind ruffle his hair.

“Yeah, about that.” Hiccup ran a hand through his fringe. “I, uh. I need to talk to you.”

Jack frowned. “What about?”

“What I did … before you left? I’m sorry. It was rude and I feel awful.”

Jack didn’t say anything for a while, then he muttered, “Why’d you need to pry into my business anyway?”

“You hang out with Vikings long enough, you start to learn when they’re actually fine, and when they’re just trying to cover it up,” Hiccup said. “And you’ve been giving off some pretty intense ‘don’t ask me about my obvious problems’ vibes.”

Jack looked away. “It … still didn’t give you the right.”

“Exactly!” Hiccup threw his hands up. “I tried to do something nice, but I did something stupid instead. So: I’m sorry.”

He watched ahead of Toothless for a while, but Jack didn’t respond. Great. Perfect. He went to say something, but when he looked back, Jack wasn’t there.

Something touched his leg, and he wrenched to the side.  He might have fallen out of the saddle if his foot wasn’t clipped in. Toothless _gronked_ and turned the inelegant sideways motion into a roll.

And Jack was rolling around in the air, laughing his smug ass off.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. Toothless sniggered at him.

“Apology accepted,” Jack said, wiping his eyes. “Now, are we going for that flight, or are we just going to hang around here and talk all evening?”

“Flying, definitely. I don’t trust myself to talk to you without saying something stupid.”

Jack turned to Hiccup, opened his mouth, closed it again, and then said, “I really did forgive you pretty quickly. I know you didn’t intend to be hurtful.”

“I still was, though,” Hiccup said. Oh, that joke hadn’t gone over like he planned. Why couldn’t he say anything right around Jack?

“So don’t feel too guilty,” Jack continued, like he hadn’t interrupted. “After all, which is better, going flying and having fun with someone who meant well, or staying upset with them because they made a mistake?”

Hiccup smiled softly at Jack. His heart did a slow, gracious and very obvious somersault, but he had made up his mind to ignore that, so instead he said, “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as relentlessly happy as you.”

Jack laughed. “Well, if I have to be relentless about _something_ , happiness seems pretty good!”

 

~

 

After dinner, Hiccup met Jack outside the dining hall, and they walked back to Hiccup’s hut together.

Hiccup wanted to ask Jack something, to start a conversation, but what could he ask that wasn’t prying? Everything seemed like prying at the moment.

Jack, however, seemed completely oblivious to Hiccup’s nerves, watching the clouds and the stars behind them.

“I wonder how long Berk will have a standing snowman army for?” Hiccup asked, as they passed another troupe of the white, bulbous figures.

“Ah, it’s only snow,” Jack said, waving a hand. “There’ll be something more interesting to do with it tomorrow.”

Hiccup sighed. “For some of us,” he said. “I still need to figure out what to do about …”

“That thing in the pond,” Jack filled in for him. He’d listened to the whole story over dinner. “I should probably tell North.”

“You just got back,” Hiccup said, and immediately realised he’d sounded petulant. Was that weird? Would Jack realise that he …

Jack raised an eyebrow. “You sound like that would bother you,” he said.

Hiccup really, sincerely wished he was better at lying. “We’re all so tense,” he said. “Maybe we could do with a few more snowman armies.” He didn’t dare meet Jack’s eyes

“I can always tip more snow down Astrid’s boots,” Jack offered.

“I was looking for something, you know, fun.”

“Oooh,” Jack said, as if he’d just understood something. “You mean you wanted something fun for _you_.”

“Preferably. I’m not too proud to admit it.”

“Really,” Jack walked around in front of Hiccup, his staff over his shoulders, his arms resting up behind his head. “Here I thought you were definitely proud.”

Hiccup snorted. “I’ve eaten my share of crow in my time, believe me.”

Jack suddenly paused, and turned away so he was walking next to Hiccup again.

“Sorry, did I sound bitter?” Hiccup asked.

“Should you be?” Jack asked quietly, meeting Hiccup’s eyes with his sky-blue ones.

“Probably not,” Hiccup said, breaking eye contact. He needed to stop that. At least until he could look at Jack without feeling his heart start hammering.

Jack fell silent, and Hiccup was very, very thankful.

They reached Hiccup’s hut, where Stoick was already snoring. Hiccup hesitated at the door. Should he invite Jack in? Or would that …

He paused. Jack was poking his stick at the dirt, looking intently at the ground. Hiccup waited a moment.

“So, uh,” Jack brushed his hair back away from his face and looked at the other side of the doorframe.

“You’re going to make me stand here with the door open and let all the snow in, aren’t you?” Hiccup asked, trying to joke over his nervousness. “If you want to come in for the night, the answer is yes.” _Please?_

That got a small smile from Jack. “Well,” the white-haired boy said, “Since Toothless apparently takes exception to my usual sleeping quarters …”

Hiccup stepped away and gestured for Jack to enter the hut before him. Jack slipped through.

He turned a little circle in the centre of the hut, taking in the hearth and the bed and all Hiccup’s and Stoick’s gear (rather different in application; Hiccup’s old saddles and spare feet and useless but promising inventions lining one wall, and Stoick’s battle armour, helmet, axe and shield displayed on the other).

Jack looked at everything with such wonder that Hiccup had to chuckle at him. “You look like you’ve never been inside a house before.”

Jack glanced at him, then away again.

“Please tell me you’ve been inside a house before,” Hiccup said.

Jack shook his head, his eyes still sparkling. “I’ve looked through a lot of doors and windows,” he said. “And I’ve been in North’s workshop, but really only his meetings-room and one dining hall.”

“You never had a home? Sorry, you seem to enjoy playing with the kids, so I guess I assumed you had some sort of family …”

Jack shook his head. “Nobody’s ever been able to see me, remember?” he asked. “First thing I remember was being lifted out of a lake, and … boom. Jack Frost.”

“Well,” Hiccup said, changing the topic. “I can’t exactly put a blanket and pillow down, but you can use these tunics,” he folded up two of his cleaner tunics and dropped them by the fire, “as a pillow and in the morning I’ll say I was too tired to put them away.”

Jack nodded. “Thank you,” he said.

Hiccup shrugged. “Need anything?”

Jack curled up with the tunics, clutching his staff in front of him, and watched the warm embers of the fire. “I’m fine,” he said.

“Well, goodnight,” Hiccup said. He took off his riding gear, changed into a nightshirt and got into bed.

 

~

 

Hiccup woke up to the feeling of Toothless’s feet on his shoulders.

“Ngh, Bud,” he groaned. “Too early. Go back to …” he cracked an eye open and realized that it was a) still night, and b) it was not Toothless who had woken him up.

Toothless didn’t have white hair and blue eyes that were … far, far too close to his face.

“Uh,” Hiccup said. He wondered desperately whether Jack could see his face reddening by the light of the nearly-dead fire.

Or perhaps his face was so red it glowed in the dark. It certainly felt that way.

“You are very hard to wake up,” Jack said. “I, uh, had one more question.”

His face crumpled a bit, and Hiccup couldn’t do anything but nod.

“Are we … are we still on hugging terms?” Jack asked.

He could have sat up, given Jack a hug, and maybe told him to go sleep with Toothless if he needed company – the dragon was sleeping in the corner of the hut, and was quite fond of both Jack and curling up with humans to sleep.

But instead, for a reason that made sense only to his half-asleep mind, Hiccup pulled the covers aside.

“Get in,” he said.

And without hesitating, Jack did. Hiccup wrapped his arm over the skinny boy’s shoulder, and said, “Now let me sleep.”

Jack wrapped his fingers around Hiccup’s and shifted back against him, pressing his bare foot against Hiccup’s. Hiccup was suddenly wide awake.

“Mmph!” he said, shoving his face into the pillow to avoid a sudden shout that might wake his Dad. “Jack!” he hissed. “Freezing!”

“Sorry!” Jack hissed back, and tried to pull away. Hiccup pulled him back up in.

“Don’t even think about it,” he told Jack. “Just … Thor’s teeth, _warn_ me next time!”

“If you’ll warn me that you smell like sweat and dragon,” Jack hissed back, but Hiccup felt his back relaxing.

Hiccup chuckled. “You should have figured that one out for yourself.”

“And it never occurred to you that a Spirit of Winter might be cold?”

“Not when I was half-asleep, it didn’t.”

Jack chuckled softly, and despite Jack’s freezing limbs, Hiccup quickly drifted back off to sleep.


	17. It Has a Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's time to admit that this fic won't actually have a regular update schedule - instead, you will get chapters every couple of days or when I can't wait any longer to post things.
> 
> (Thank you for all the comments on the last chapter by the way! Comments make my little authorial heart happy! They also make it harder for me to wait to update, hence the early chapter.)

When Hiccup woke up, his arm and right foot were still cold, but his blanket was pulled up, his other arm had pins and needles, and he was alone. Toothless wasn’t bothering him, just watching him from the foot of the bed.

He looked up at his friend. “You’re acting suspicious,” he said.

He got up and changed into his day clothes. Toothless nudged him as he tried to get his foot fixed back on. “Hey, stop that!” He scratched Toothless’s nose, and Toothless pushed his head under Hiccup’s arm.

“What, you wanted a hug, too, Toothless?” Hiccup glanced down at the bed. Toothless gurgled sadly.

“Oh, come on. Like you expected him to still be there in the morning,” Hiccup said disdainfully.

But … it would have been nice if he was.

NOPE. Hiccup shook his head to get rid of that thought. This whole thing was enough of a mess. Jack didn’t need to deal with whatever was going on in Hiccup’s mind, too.

Toothless headbutted him again, and he rolled his eyes. If only he was better at reading Jack. This back and forth, getting his hopes up and having to squash them again was maddening.

What sort of friend, the hopeful part of Hiccup’s brain asked, requested hugs in the middle of the night?

Alright. Here was what he’d do. He’d go outside, he’d talk to Jack. If Jack was uncomfortable, he’d drop the subject forever. If Jack was fine with it, then he’d admit everything, and ask about … what had happened the night before. That way, he’d know for sure.

Hiccup went outside to find Jack Frost sitting on the roof as always. Jack looked down at him, and their eyes met for a moment, but only a moment. Hiccup couldn’t take any more than a moment. Jack had that look again, like he was afraid of what Hiccup might ask him. Of how Hiccup might make him uncomfortable.

Well, that settled that, then.

“Breakfast?” Hiccup offered, turning away down the hill, feeling like someone was hollowing out his chest with a ladle.

“Sure,” Jack said. “I could watch some people eat.”

 

~

 

Jack woke up, as usual, before dawn, feeling like he could happily have curled up into a ball, iced himself over and not talked to anyone for a century. Oh no. Oh, no, no, no. What had he done? Why had he done it?

He knew why. He had been lonely and couldn’t sleep and he _swore_ he’d only been about to wake Hiccup up to ask him to talk, but somehow it had gone all wrong and he’d asked for a hug, and then …

Then he’d spent the night in Hiccup’s bed. With Hiccup’s arm wrapped around him. Feeling comfortable and wanted and …

Oh.

Oh, no.

No, he had a friend for the first time ever. This was a _terrible time_ for that particular emotion to raise its head.

He glanced over. Toothless was awake and watching them.

Not the lizard, please, anything but the lizard.

But if Toothless was awake, that meant that everyone else soon would be, too, and even if they couldn’t see him, they could see where he wasn’t. Hiccup’s arm hanging in mid-air. Hiccup’s blankets lifted off the bed with apparently nothing inside them.

He eased himself out from under Hiccup’s arm, laid the arm down on the bed, and pulled the blankets up. There. Maybe that might start to fix some of the damage his freezing hands and feet had probably done.

He made a finger-on-lips motion for Toothless to be silent, and tiptoed out of the house. He sat watching the sunrise, and waited for Hiccup.

Of course. He felt like a fool for not realising earlier. All the signs, all his odd reactions, all the little thoughts that floated through his mind now started to add up.

And yet, all he’d done was make Hiccup feel awkward. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He guessed he’d find out what Hiccup thought about it when he emerged. From the sound of it, Toothless was up, so it shouldn’t be long now.

When Hiccup emerged, still blinking, still half asleep, Jack had a brief hope that Hiccup might not have been awake after all – or at least, not enough to remember. But then Hiccup looked away and offered “Breakfast?” and Jack knew that Hiccup remembered everything.

“Sure, I could watch some people eat,” Jack muttered and jumped down off the roof. Hiccup’s tone had told him everything he needed to know about how Hiccup felt about the event.

They walked to the hall in complete silence. Jack glanced over at Hiccup, and noticed that Hiccup was studiously avoiding his eyes. It hadn’t been OK. He should have known. Hiccup had only done it because he didn’t want to upset Jack. He pushed his disappointment far, far down in his chest and tried to act casual. Hiccup didn’t need to know. He just hoped he could salvage the situation enough that they could stay friends.

Jack jumped up into the rafters to watch the breakfast table from above. Hiccup sat down next to Snotlout.

“Have you seen Fishlegs yet?” Hiccup asked.

Snotlout shook his head. “Astrid said something about going to see him today. What’s _taking_ him so long?”

Hiccup shrugged. “Guess there’s not much information in the library about skinless …”

Snotlout pointed his spoon at Hiccup. “Hiccup, no. We talked about this. We do not discuss the Pond Thing and we _especially_ do not discuss it at meal times.”

Hiccup put his hands up. “Wouldn’t want to put you off your food.”

Then, Fishlegs burst into the room, carrying a few books and scrolls and followed closely by Astrid.

“Nuckelavee!” he shouted.

“What now?”

Fishlegs slammed a book down onto the table, open at a page with a sketchy illustration of something with one eye, two heads, four legs and two arms. Jack slipped down onto the table to get a better look at it.

Snotlout pushed away his breakfast. “I’m done,” he said. “I hope you’re happy, Fishlegs,”

“Sorry,” Fishlegs said, then turned to Hiccup. “This is it. I’m certain.”

“This is just a name,” Hiccup said. “There’s nothing about …”

“Sure, sure,” Fishlegs said. “But I found some mentions in other places as well. I think these are all the same name, even though they’re spelled differently …”

Jack looked back at the picture. Nuckelavee, huh?

Jack knelt down, leaning on his staff.

Hiccup shot him a quick look, and Jack shrugged. “I didn’t see it,” he said. “I really don’t know.”

“That’s it,” Hiccup said to Fishlegs. “I think you found it. Anything about weaknesses? How to find it?”

Fishlegs shook his head. “No. But burning seaweed makes it angry, and the horse head’s breath is poison. And it can’t cross fresh water.”

“Burning seaweed?” Snotlout asked. “Why would anyone burn seaweed?”

“Well, in some places they say it makes the soil better for growing crops,” Fishlegs said. “And it’s useful for a few other things, like making soap.”

Snotlout wrinkled his nose. “Sounds awful,” he said. “Well, what, do we just not make it angry?”

The group looked at Hiccup.

“I think we’re a bit past just not making it angry,” Hiccup said with a sigh. “Thanks, Fishlegs. That’s a lot more than we knew yesterday.”

Hiccup and Astrid shared a look, and Astrid put her hands up in an ‘I-won’t-ask’ gesture. Jack took another look over the parchments. He couldn’t read any of them, but he studied the picture of the Nuckelavee until he was sure he’d remember it.

“Dragon training, then?” Astrid asked.

“Good idea!” Hiccup said, standing up suddenly. “Everyone ready?”

“Hiccup, Ruffnut and Tuffnut aren’t here,” Astrid pointed out.

“So, somebody go get them and we’ll go dragon training,” Hiccup said.

Astrid narrowed his eyes and shook her head.

“Hey, what’s going on between you two?” Snotlout asked.

“Nothing,” Astrid snapped.

“It’s fine,” Hiccup said. “I said something I shouldn’t, right, Astrid?”

“More like you didn’t say something you should have,” Astrid said. “Snotlout, you agree with me, right? Hiccup’s acting weird?”

Snotlout looked trapped. He gave a little apologetic shrug to Hiccup. “A bit, yeah. I mean, when was the last time you stayed in the village this many days in a row? Next thing you know, you’ll actually come to a dragon race for once.”

Hiccup pinched the bridge of his nose. “I never thought I’d miss not having friends,” he said. “Look, I’m trying to be positive about this, but we have _nothing_. We have a name, and that’s great,” he said, holding a hand out to Fishlegs. “Honestly, that’s so much more than we had yesterday, but apart from that we have _nothing_ , and we need to find a way to get rid of this thing.”

“Calm down, Hiccup,” Fishlegs said nervously. “We’ll think of something!”

“He means Astrid will think of something,” Tuffnut said, as he and Ruffnut sat down with bowls. “We all know Astrid is the real brains, right Hiccup?”

“Not now, Tuffnut!” Fishlegs hissed behind his hand.

Tuffnut hesitated. "Wait, what were we talking about?"

“Ah, it’s fine,” Hiccup said with a wave of his hand, and gave a tired smile. “We all know not to listen to Tuffnut.”

“I never do,” Ruffnut confirmed.

“Dragon training,” Astrid announced. “As soon as we’re done with breakfast. Fishlegs, fill the twins in while they eat.”

Up in the rafters, Jack put his head in his hands. And he’d gotten Hiccup into another awkward situation with his friends. It had been going so well. They’d had a problem; they’d talked about it. And what had Jack done, immediately after that?

Overstepped Hiccup’s boundaries. Made it awkward. Probably gone and made it obvious he felt attached to Hiccup in a way Hiccup probably didn’t feel for him.

The first person to ever believe in him. His first friend. Why couldn’t he have just had a friend?

 

~

 

Dragon training lasted all day. Jack went with them, mostly to try and pretend he didn’t feel how awkward things were between him and Hiccup. They didn’t look at each other. Hiccup had stopped stealing glances at him when the others weren’t looking. He didn’t even get to share Hiccup’s excitement and triumph when he and Toothless pulled off a perfect loop-the-loop.

Just how many chances had he had last night to stop? He could have just gone back to sleep. He could have left for his tree. He could have stopped trying to wake Hiccup up. He could have asked _literally any other question_. But no.

He left for his tree before dinner, before Hiccup needed to be polite and invite him in again, when that was probably the last thing he wanted. He’d keep his distance for a while, just until he could be friends properly again.

 

~

 

Yep, Jack had left.

“Well, that settles it, I guess, Bud,” Hiccup said to Toothless as he took the dragon’s saddle off.

“What’s that?” Snotlout called to him from the next ledge over.

Hiccup waved a hand. “Talking to Toothless,” he said.

“You talk to that dragon more than you talk to actual humans!” Ruffnut called.

“If you think real hard, you might find there’s a reason for that,” Hiccup said.

He moved behind Toothless so he could hit his head against the wall without any of them seeing it. Jack had guessed. Jack had guessed that Hiccup felt … that Hiccup had …

_Oh, Thor’s hammer,_ Hiccup told himself. _Just call it a crush already. You have a crush and he knows and he doesn’t feel the same._

Toothless made a curious noise and lifted up a wing. Hiccup knelt under it to get at the girth strap. He’d give himself tonight to get past it, he told himself. Tonight he’d feel properly miserable and then tomorrow he’d try and pretend nothing was wrong, so maybe Jack would stop feeling uncomfortable, and they could at least be friends.

He missed the white-haired winter spirit’s jokes all the way back to his hut, and couldn’t help but feel just a little bit pathetic for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What, you didn't think I was actually going to advance their relationship, did you? I thought you folks had realised I come from the one-step-forward, two-steps-back school of shipping by now...


	18. Nuckelavee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confirmed: The Plot is an excuse to stretch out The Angst, and very little else.

When Jack woke up, the moon was still up, though only a sliver on the horizon.

“Good,” he muttered. “Didn’t want to talk to you anyway.”

He took a deep breath. He should apologise. Maybe if he started by apologizing, he could just make up his explanation from there, even though he had no idea what he was going to say. Yes, that was best.

On his way back to Hiccup’s hut, however, he was interrupted by Hiccup and his friends flying past them on their dragons. He had to jerk to the side to avoid Fishlegs on the Gronckle. As soon as he was righted again, he flew after them. It looked like they were headed to the coast.

He caught up to Hiccup. “Morning,” he said. “What, didn’t want to wait for me this morning?”

Hiccup flashed him a quick grin, so that Snotlout next to him didn’t notice. They turned, and landed on the beach. Jack had to suppress a pang of heartache. Hiccup seemed almost … back to normal. But was that a good thing or a bad thing?

“Alright,” Hiccup said, still sitting atop Toothless as everyone else dismounted. “This looks like the most likely place.”

Jack kicked at a piece of seaweed. “Well,” he said, “If we’re going to piss it off anywhere, it’s going to be here.”

“Nobody so much as think of doing anything to the seaweed,” Hiccup instructed quickly. “We’re here to spot it, not pick a fight with it.”

He took off on Toothless, up into the sky.

Jack considered going after him, but couldn’t make himself do it. He sighed. Where had his sense of shame been the night before last?

Instead, he hopped up, balanced on his staff, and scanned the ocean for any sign of the Nuckelavee.

A dark shape moved through the water. Way too close.

Jack cursed. The others hadn’t spotted it yet.

“HICCUP!” he yelled, but the boy on the Night Fury was too far away to hear.

It was moving too fast. Fishlegs (too late) yelled, and the others turned to look. Jack leaped towards the dragons.

The Nuckelavee burst from the ocean, skinless and pulsing with yellow veins. Snotlout screamed. The Nuckelavee’s horse head tossed from side to side, looking for the source of the sound without eyes, while the human torso protruding from its back reached out for Snotlout.

Jack finally managed to convince the Gronckle to belch fire at him, stepping out of the way at the last moment. The fireball arced through the air, landing on a pile of seaweed, and Jack raced after it.

“Hey!” he shouted from behind the pile of seaweed, waving his arms. “Hey, come smell this!”

The Nuckelavee turned, and looked away from Snotlout.

“Meatlug, no!” Fishlegs shouted.

Astrid threw her axe at the Nuckelavee as it ran. It stuck in the Nuckelavee’s horse flank, and greenish blood oozed out, but the Nuckelavee didn’t slow down.

Suddenly, Jack’s view of the Nuckelavee was obscured by a gigantic black body. Toothless spat purple fire at the Nuckelavee, causing the hideous creature to shield its face and shy back.

“We’re leaving!” Hiccup called. “Now! Go!”

As the others rushed for their dragons, Jack realized that the horse head was convulsing,

Toothless began to take off just as the Nuckelavee belched a cloud of gas. Jack leaped onto Hiccup’s back, holding his breath, and covered Hiccup’s mouth and nose. Toothless lifted them both into the air.

“Hiccup!” Astrid called out as Hiccup caught up to them.

Hiccup shook himself free of Jack’s hands and coughed. “Fine,” he called back. “Toothless? Bud?”

The dragon made a noise, and Hiccup reached down and patted his neck. “Just a little way, Bud. Who knows where there’s a river? We need fresh water!”

“That way!” Snotlout called. “I know one!”

Hiccup coughed again. Jack leaned around him to see his face.

“Hiccup?” he asked.

Hiccup waved him away. “It’s fine,” he said quietly. “It only got me a little. Check on Toothless.”

Jack slid off Toothless and flew around to inspect the dragon’s face.

“He, uh …” Well, he didn’t look so good. His eyes were dull and half-lidded, his wings beat sluggishly. They were slowly descending.

“River’s just there!” Snotlout pointed.

The Nuckelavee shrieked below them.

“It’s catching up,” Jack warned Hiccup.

Hiccup leaned down and whispered in Toothless’s ear. The dragon made a soft noise. Hiccup sat back up slowly, looking decidedly pale.

The Nuckelavee reared up and got ready to spit poison up at Hiccup and his Night Fury again.

“WIND!” Jack shouted, and a huge gust of wind lifted Toothless a little.

“Whoa!” Fishlegs wobbled in his seat a little as the wind pushed him forward.

Jack grabbed Hiccup’s sword out of his belt, and flew down in front of the Nuckelavee, hoping to distract it from the dragons. As the horse head turned to follow him, the gas panned out along the ground. Under it, grass died. Jack dipped and skimmed the ground, dragging the lit sword behind him. Maybe if he put some fire between the creature and the river, he could at least slow it down.

The gas ignited, the Nuckelavee shrieked and pulled back. Jack felt the sudden heat, felt the hairs on his hands and feet shrivel and crisp, and hastily changed course, out of the way of the fire. He sped forward, the wind lifting Toothless and the other dragons as he hurried to catch up to them, and hastily shoved Hiccup’s sword back into his belt.

The Nuckelavee shook off the flames, but as it reached the river, it shied away again, screeching in frustration as it reached out for them.

“Land there,” Astrid instructed, pointing to a spot far away from the river. “We’re out of range there.”

They touched down one by one, Hiccup’s landing considerably less graceful than the rest.

He unclipped his foot from the stirrup and half-slid, half-fell out of the saddle. He went immediately to Toothless. “Hey, Bud, let me have a look,” he muttered.

“Are you alright, Hiccup?” Astrid asked, as they gathered around him and Toothless.

Hiccup didn’t respond immediately. He was too busy checking Toothless over. Toothless gurgled and nudged him.

“Well, you tell me if you start to feel worse, alright, Bud?” Hiccup asked.

Fishlegs was holding Meatlug around the neck. “I’m so sorry,” he said, his face horrified and ashen. “I don’t know why Meatlug would do something like that!”

“My fault,” Jack cut in, patting Toothless’s eye ridge. “It was going for Snotlout, and it was the only distraction I could think of.”

“He was probably just protecting Snotlout,” Hiccup said. “Not his fault.”

All of a sudden, Hiccup doubled over and threw up on the grass.

Jack reached for him, but Astrid and Snotlout were already there, patting him on the back. Jack stepped away.

“Let’s get back to the village,” Astrid said. “Gothi will have something to help.”

“What was that fire from?” Tuffnut asked, looking back towards the coast.

“Toothless?” Jack suggested quickly.

“Guess you had a bit left in you after all, Bud,” Hiccup said, patting the dragon’s neck. Toothless didn’t even gurgle in response.

The group walked back to the village, Snotlout and Astrid on either side of Hiccup, and Toothless guided along by Stormfly and Hookfang.

Jack walked alongside them, a little way away. Hiccup was in good hands with his friends, but he felt useless. Hiccup being in the way of the Nuckelavee’s breath was his fault. He should at least be able to do _something_ to help.

 

~

 

Jack stayed with Hiccup as the others got him to Gothi. One of the advantages of being invisible was that he couldn’t be shooed out of the hut while Gothi worked.

She checked Hiccup’s pulse, his pupils, and his temperature, then cooked up a concoction that made Jack’s nose wrinkle and Hiccup throw up again, then left him in the hut while she went to look at Toothless.

Jack jumped down from the beam at the top of the hut, and landed beside the straw bed where Gothi had forced Hiccup to lie down.

He sat cross-legged in front of Hiccup, opened his mouth, and realized that there were just too many things in his head to get any of them out coherently. He dropped his head onto the straw beside Hiccup.

Hiccup made a soft noise, and Jack was close enough to feel him start to shake.

“Sorry,” Hiccup said. “I don’t know why that was so funny.”

Jack looked up, realising that Hiccup had one hand over his eyes and was shaking with silent laughter.

It was infectious. Jack couldn’t help smiling. “What?”

“Nothing,” Hiccup said. “We’re ridiculous. By the way, just so you’re warned, any second now, this hut is going to be full of pissed-off Vikings here to chew me out for jumping in front of a rampaging Nuckelavee.”

Jack winced.

“You did it, too,” Hiccup pointed out. “Don’t think I wasn’t paying attention to you diving in front of it while we were escaping.”

“I had to do something!”

Hiccup shrugged. “What can I say – great minds think alike.”

“I don’t think so,” Jack said, trying his very best to find something funny to say. “I mean, I’d never decide to wear that outfit.”

Hiccup rolled his eyes, then closed them.

Jack leaned a little closer. “Hiccup?”

Hiccup held up a hand. “The room just started spinning again,” he said. “I feel like everything’s burning.”

“Do you need …”

“You need to get better at jokes.” Hiccup turned to him with his best attempt at a smug grin.

“If I wasn’t scared you’d throw up on me, I’d …” he trailed off, not entirely sure what he ought to threaten. He and Hiccup seemed to go from avoiding each other to joking so fast, Jack wasn’t sure what to think anymore. Had he been wrong before? Was he wrong now?

Hiccup chuckled. “I wasn’t kidding about the burning, though. You’d tell me if I was on fire, right?”

A quick test. If Hiccup said no, he’d forget this forever. If Hiccup said yes … well, it still didn’t mean anything. But it wasn’t a no. “Maybe I can help with that. Do you mind?”

“Honestly, I don’t care what you do if it helps.”

That wasn’t as enlightening as Jack had hoped. He reached over and put his hands on Hiccup’s neck, right where it met his chin. He had to worm one hand between Hiccup’s neck and the pillow to get it in the right spot, and he wished he didn’t enjoy the feeling of the weight on his hand so much. It was just because Hiccup was sick, he told himself. Only because he was sick.

“That feels nice,” Hiccup breathed. He must have had more of a fever than Jack thought – he hadn’t realized Hiccup’s face was so flushed.

“Fastest way to cool someone down,” Jack explained, just to have something to say. “because there’s blood so close to the skin.”

“Well, it’s working.”

“Spirit of Winter, at your service.”

Hiccup chuckled again, his throat vibrating against Jack’s hands. Jack tried to think of something, anything, to say to break the increasingly unbearable silence.

Jack heard the door behind them, and moved away from the bed. Astrid and the others filed in.

“See? He’s fine,” Snotlout said. “He’s laughing at something.”

“What’s so funny, then?” Tuffnut asked. They gathered next to the bed.

“Probably me,” Hiccup said. “Everyone else seems to find me amusing.” He sat up, leaning forward with his head in his hands. “How’s Toothless?” he asked.

Snotlout snickered.

“He’ll be fine,” Tuffnut said. “He can teach you a thing or two about being stubborn, though, which is saying something.”

“Gothi nearly gave up trying to get him to take his medicine,” Ruffnut said. “I think she figured if he had the energy to wriggle so much there couldn’t be much wrong with him.”

Hiccup chuckled, and ran a hand through his fringe. “Well, good,” he said. “I’ll go to see him soon.”

“Whoops!” Tuffnut said from the door. “Gothi alert!”

There was a sudden flurry of activity as everyone tried to scramble for the door while avoiding Gothi and her stick as she none-too-gently encouraged them away.

Gothi rolled her eyes and walked over to Hiccup. She moved his chin, tilting his head this way and that, then put her hand on his forehead and shrugged.

“Does that mean I’m fine? Can I go see Toothless now?”

Gothi looked for a moment like she might disagree, but then she nodded with a small smile.


	19. D&Ms with Dragons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Jack picks only the best of times for intense conversations.

Hiccup walked slowly over to the dragon stalls where Toothless was being kept. He kept swallowing, hard. Jack hesitated, then reached over and rubbed his back.

Hiccup gave him a small smile. “Thanks,” he said.

“Hey, no problem,” Jack said. “Anyone who jumps in front of a skinless horse-man for me gets special treatment.”

At the stables, Hiccup sat down next to Toothless, who, as soon as he spotted them, rolled over and made the most pitiful whining noise Jack had ever heard.

Hiccup reached over and scratched him under the chin. “Yeah, I know, Bud,” he said. His voice was hoarse and husky. “You’re so dramatic.”

Jack had to smile at them both, even though he felt a little bit like he was intruding on a private moment. He sat down next to Hiccup (but not too close), leaning his staff against the wall. He tipped his head back against the wall and let out a long breath.

Hiccup did the same.

“It’s been that sort of day, huh?” Jack asked.

Hiccup nodded. “Yeah.”

Hiccup was avoiding his eyes again. Jack felt like his heart was on a yo-yo string, the amount of time it had spent sinking and rising. He took a deep breath. He had to put himself out of his misery. Or at least apologise.

“Look,” he said, “Stop me if this is a bad time, but I’m … sorry about the other thing, too.”

Hiccup looked at him, confused.

Dammit, now he had to say it out loud. “I woke you up with the world’s most idiotic request,” Jack said, trying to grin like it didn’t bother him.

Hiccup snorted. “I’m sorry I gave you the world’s most idiotic response.”

Oh. Well. Jack wasn’t sure how to feel about that. “I didn’t mean to ask that,” he said, feeling stupid and ashamed and something else that hurt deep down in his chest.

“What did you mean to ask?” Jack couldn’t read Hiccup’s tone. He sounded cautious, and like he was trying to keep his voice steady. What did _that_ mean? His heart was rising again, and he didn't know how much more he could take.

“I just wanted to ask if we could talk for a while,” Jack said. He pulled his legs up and put his head on his arms so he didn’t have to look at Hiccup. “I’d never really been in a house before, and I was lonely and you were right there, so I woke you up to ask for some company. But instead of that, my stupid mouth …”

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Hiccup run a hand through his hair, a rueful smile on his face. “Guess that makes a pair of us, then,” Hiccup said. “I could have just given you a hug like a normal friend, and told you to go curl up with Toothless, but instead …” He looked down at Jack, and raised an eyebrow. “I can see you watching me, you know.”

Jack buried his head again.

“Hey, no fair,” Hiccup said. “If you get to watch me while I explain how stupid I am, you have to let me see your face, too.”

Jack lifted his head up, trying to ignore the lump in his throat as Hiccup looked at him. He couldn’t say anything for a minute. He wished he could find somewhere to hide from those green eyes. But something in the way Hiccup was holding his gaze made him feel both brave and foolish.

“I have one more question,” Jack said, knowing his voice sounded strained. He just wished Hiccup would make a joke. He liked them better when they were laughing. An image of Hiccup sitting on Toothless, laughing so hard he had to wipe tears away at Jack’s flying crossed his mind, and he made a little choking noise. He broke eye contact. Looking into Hiccup’s eyes made him unsure whether he was going to laugh or cry, but he was sure it would be embarrassing, either way.

“Only the one?” Hiccup asked, and Jack smiled, but couldn’t quite manage the full laugh.

Well, couldn’t make things any more awkward than they already were. “Do you regret it?” Jack asked.

Hiccup took a deep breath and let it out again. He lifted a hand, then put it down like he didn’t know what to do with it.

“I don’t,” he said quietly.

Jack’s jaw clenched. No part of his body seemed to know how to respond to that information.

“Jack?” Hiccup asked, looking down at his hands, which were pressed together in his lap so hard they were shaking. Jack could see the nervousness on his face.

“Are we … still on hugging terms?” Hiccup asked.

Jack nodded, and scooted over so that his side was pressed against Hiccup’s. He leaned his head on Hiccup’s shoulder. Hiccup took his hand, and their fingers intertwined. Jack felt a thousand and one things, all at the same time, until he felt like he was choking. Was this real? Was this happening? Did this mean the same thing to Hiccup as it meant to him?

Toothless dropped his head across both their laps, and they both reached to scratch him behind the ear flaps.

“You don’t have to be so nervous,” Hiccup murmured.

“Me? Nervous? Who’s nervous?” Jack asked.

“I can feel you breathing, you idiot. It feels like you just ran a race.”

“You nearly chickened out of asking to do ... this,” Jack said, not sure what exactly to call whatever it was they were doing. “I don’t think you get to have a high horse about nervousness.”

After a moment, Hiccup sighed. “Jack,” he said. “What _are_ we doing?”

“What I always do,” Jack said. “Enjoying the moment. Later I’ll pour snow down your shirt again and we’ll enjoy that moment, too, even though you’ll pretend you don’t.”

“Or you could _not_ do that.”

“And later …” Jack continued, his shaking hands and aching chest speaking more than his mind, which was still not sure what was going on, “Maybe we’ll do this again, and I’ll _really_ enjoy that moment. Don’t know about you.”

“I could be convinced to do this again,” Hiccup said. He put his other hand over Jack’s. “Seriously, you can calm down. I’m enjoying the moment, too. It’s fine.”

After a moment, Jack said, “Hiccup, your dragon is giving me a knowing look.”

Hiccup laughed, and Jack could feel it as well as hear it. “Get used to that,” he said. “He’ll be doing that for as long as he can get away with it.”

 

~

 

Astrid poked her head around the door of the stables some time after. “Thought I’d find you here,” she said.

Hiccup laughed nervously. “You know me,” he said. “Couldn’t leave Toothless alone.”

Astrid squinted at him. “Are you alright? You’re kinda … slumping.”

“I kind of got poisoned today, Astrid. Thanks for asking.” Hiccup didn’t lift his head off Jack’s and Jack was very glad that Astrid couldn’t see him. The face he was pulling trying not to burst out laughing and shake Hiccup (which would have been very suspicious, not to mention not doing poor, queasy Hiccup any favours) made his cheeks hurt.

“You need to tell your Dad what happened,” Astrid said, ignoring his quip. “Or you’re going to get in trouble again.”

Hiccup groaned.

Jack spent a moment silently arguing with himself over whether to leave and let Hiccup go, or stay where he was. He didn’t want to make it awkward (again), but at the same time … they were holding hands so tightly, and Hiccup’s shoulder was so comfortable without his riding gear on, and Toothless was pinning them pretty effectively.

He tried letting go of Hiccup’s hand experimentally, but Hiccup tightened his grip. Toothless growled at him. Jack supposed that meant he was outvoted.

“Can you tell him, Astrid? Just this once? Tell him I sent you?”

Astrid blew her hair out of her face. “Alright,” she said. “But if Stoick comes after you for it anyway, it’s all on you.”

“Thanks, Astrid. You’re a life saver.”

“You owe me, Hiccup Haddock.”

Hiccup gave her a smile, and she walked out.

Finally, Hiccup relaxed his grip on Jack’s hand.

“Just once,” Hiccup asked, “Can’t you stay put for five minutes after a significant conversation?”

“I thought maybe Stoick …”

“I got poisoned. Dad can come here himself if he really needs to hear it from me. I insist, and so does Toothless.”

Jack looked down at the dragon. “It’s certainly going to be hard to get up with you here, boy.”

Toothless made a satisfied gurgle, and shifted his head closer to them, so he was pinning more of their legs against the ground.

“I’m blaming you for the past few days, by the way,” Hiccup said.

“What? Me? Why?”

“Remember when I told you you kept looking at me like I might be venomous?”

“I didn’t look that bad.”

“I’m going to start carrying a mirror around for the next time you say that. Imagine you hug someone and then next time they see you they give you that look.”

“I didn’t,” Jack protested. “Did I?”

“Every time,” Hiccup said. “I thought I’d offended you.”

“You kept looking so embarrassed,” Jack countered. “I thought I kept doing stupid things to make you uncomfortable.”

“I only looked embarrassed because you looked so terrified!”

Jack finally burst into laughter. He couldn’t help it. The fear, the relief, everything was just too much to keep in. “We’re ridiculous,” he said. “No, really – I can’t have looked that bad, right?”

Hiccup settled his head into a better position. “Every little thing you feel shows up on your face. I’m telling you right now, never get into gambling.”

Well, that was an unsettling thought. Jack wasn’t sure he was comfortable with that.

Hiccup lifted his head and looked Jack in the eyes. He smiled, and Jack felt his heart do an odd little thing inside his chest.

“It’s OK,” Hiccup said. “I like that about you.”

“Maybe _you_ do,” Jack muttered. He settled his head back on Hiccup’s shoulder, and Hiccup leaned into him. After a few minutes of silence, Jack realised that Hiccup was asleep.


	20. Negotiations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack doesn't know what to do with all these feelings. Toothless is open to bribes. Short and extremely fluffy.

Hiccup didn’t wake up for dinner, but Gobber dropped by to leave him a small bowl of stew and tiptoe back out. Jack nudged Hiccup awake. Toothless growled sleepily at him, but he ignored that.

“Hic.”

“Ngh.”

“Hiccup, hey. Wake up!”

No response.

Jack put his hand inside the collar of Hiccup’s shirt.

“Ow. OW! Jack, I’m awake! I’m awake!” Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck and shivered. “Eurgh. That was unnecessary!”

“Dinner,” Jack said, and gestured with his head to the bowl. “I figured you’d want it while it was still hot.”

“I don’t think I want it at all,” Hiccup said. “Just the smell is making me feel … ugh.”

“Is that because you still feel sick, or because you haven’t eaten anything today?”

Hiccup used his free hand to rub grit out of his eyes. “I won’t keep it down,” he said. “I’d like a few more chances to hold hands before I end it all by throwing up on you.”

Jack just laughed. “Hic, I hang around children pretty much all the time, and nobody can see or touch me. I’ve been barfed _into_. Trust me. Nothing you can do will ever be worse than that.”

Hiccup’s face twisted up. “I’m sorry, you were trying to _encourage_ me to eat …?”

Jack reached over and picked up the bowl, being careful not to get his fingers in the liquid. “Quick, before I make it cold.”

Hiccup sighed and took the stew. He lifted the spoon to his mouth, hesitated, then took a bite.

He looked sidelong at Jack, at the soup bowl and back. He swallowed dramatically and put the spoon back in the bowl. “There,” he said. “Are you going to watch me eat the whole time? Because it’s a little off-putting.”

Jack hadn’t realised he’d been staring quite so intently. He quickly looked down and at Toothless, pretending to be absorbed in scratching the dragon’s ears.

Hiccup finished half the bowl and put the rest down. “That’s it,” he said. “You got me to eat, the rest is staying right there, where it’s safe.”

“Feel better?” Jack asked.

“No,” Hiccup said. “But I guess I don’t feel any worse, either.”

Jack nodded, and reached for Hiccup’s hand again.

“Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“I haven’t seen you eat yet, you know. Do you … want the rest of that?”

Jack shrugged. “I’d prefer to keep holding your hand.”

Hiccup went bright red, and mumbled, “Do you actually eat?”

Jack made a mental note that Hiccup was easy to tease. “I don’t have to. But I do sometimes.”

“I wish you could have dinner with all of us,” Hiccup said. “I think the others would really like you, if they could see you.”

Jack wished Hiccup would stop making him feel emotions. Hadn’t he already had enough for one day? Jack put his face into Hiccup’s shoulder, and said, “I wish that, too.”

Hiccup jerked away and made a hissing noise, followed by putting his hand to his mouth and closing his eyes for a few seconds.

Jack worked his hand between Hiccup and the wall to rub his back. “You alright?”

Hiccup nodded, and said through his hand, “Your nose is very cold, and …”

“And?”

Hiccup shook his head. “Sudden movements are bad.”

A wide, evil grin spread across Jack’s face. “You’re ticklish,” he said.

“Am not,” Hiccup mumbled.

“You are! Oh. Oh, this changes _everything_.”

“It changes nothing, Jack.”

Jack gave his shoulder a tug. “Come on back here,” he said. “I promise not to stick my nose in your neck again until you’re feeling better.”

“I swear to Odin, Jack, if you make me regret this ...”

“Promise! On the Moon, I promise. You’ve been poisoned, what kind of a person would I be?”

Hiccup sighed and leaned back into Jack, who obediently kept his nose away from Hiccup’s (definitely ticklish) neck.

“It’s getting dark,” Jack said, after a while.

“I was nearly asleep,” Hiccup moaned. “What do you have against me sleeping?”

“Nothing,” Jack said. “But if you do it in your bed, you’ll feel much better.”

Hiccup groaned. “Do I have to?”

“Yes. I am insisting. Toothless insists, too, right Toothless?”

Toothless growled and closed his eyes.

“You’re both useless,” Jack complained. “Seriously? Neither of you want to walk two minutes to where there’s a fire, and blankets, and a small, enclosed space that heat stays in…?”

“Toothless is plenty warm,” Hiccup said.

“I’m not.” Jack said. “And I’m touching more of you than Toothless is.”

“Pretty sure we’d be doing exactly this in the hut anyway.”

Jack tried to ignore the tingle in his chest at that image. “You’ll get a sore neck.”

“Worth it.”

“Toothless? Will you _please_ help me get your stubborn Viking to his bed?”

Toothless opened one green, unimpressed eye.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Jack said. “You like fish, right?”

Toothless’s expression suddenly became far more interested.

“Well, when you feel better, I’ll catch you some fish,” Jack said. “I think salmon season is starting soon …”

Toothless, only somewhat reluctantly, stood up and nudged Hiccup gently.

“When I signed up for this,” Hiccup said, “You didn’t warn me you were going to bribe my dragon.”

Jack helped Hiccup to his feet and let the heavier boy lean on him for a moment. Then he walked Hiccup back up the hill towards Hiccup’s hut.

 

~

 

When they got there, Stoick was still somewhere down in the village. Hiccup got changed while Jack politely watched the fire. All of a sudden, he found his view obscured by white cloth.

“Spare nightshirt,” Hiccup told him. “Unless you don’t change clothes, either?”

“No, I … I definitely change clothes,” Jack said. It was true – his clothes had worn out several times over the years, but he always kept the same style, if he could. He changed quickly into the nightshirt. He tucked his clothes underneath some of Hiccup’s in the clothes chest.

Hiccup snickered. Jack looked down. The nightshirt was the right length, but in every other respect, it fit like a tent.

“Glad I amuse you,” Jack said, picking at the cloth. “It’s very thin,” he said. “My cold is going to go straight through this, you know.”

Hiccup sighed and got into the bed, holding up the covers for Jack. “Stop worrying about it. You wanted me here to sleep, let’s just sleep.”

Jack pushed Hiccup’s hand holding the covers down and got onto the bed on the other side of him, on top of the blankets.

“What are you doing?”

With the blankets between us, you won’t get too cold,” Jack said.

“Jack, why must you …”

“And,” Jack cut him off, “It won’t look suspicious, so I don’t have to leave before you wake up.”

Hiccup was silent. Jack wormed his arm underneath Hiccup’s and pulled the Viking’s chest towards him. Now that he knew Hiccup felt the same way about him, the thought of not being as close as possible to Hiccup made him feel a little ill.

“You alright?” Hiccup murmured.

“Fine. Go to sleep.”

“You squeezed all of a sudden.”

“Sorry.” Jack released his grip a little.

“I didn’t say stop,” Hiccup said.

Jack pressed himself against Hiccup as close as he could with the blankets between them, and buried his head against Hiccup’s shoulder blades.

Hiccup took the hand that Jack had wrapped around him and laced his fingers with Jack’s. “It’s OK,” Hiccup said, and Jack tried to pretend he didn’t feel like he was choking on all his feelings at once.

He lay there, feeling Hiccup’s breathing get slower and deeper as he fell asleep in Jack’s arms.


	21. Fishing Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all for your lovely comments! You all brighten my day!

While Hiccup appreciated Toothless’s efforts to wake him up even less than he usually did, he felt a little amusement that, for once, he didn’t have to suffer alone.

“Morning, Toothless,” he said.

“Uhgk,” Jack said.

Hiccup rolled over to double-check that Stoick had indeed left the hut. He liked to get a head start on his duties as Chief before people started to wake up enough to bother him. Still, it wouldn’t do for this to be the one day Toothless decided to wake them up early …

No, his Dad was gone.

And now he could see the source of Jack’s incoherency. Toothless, who usually stood one foot either side of Hiccup’s shoulders and nudged him to wake him up, had one foot on Hiccup’s shoulder and the other directly in the centre of Jack’s chest and was attempting to nuzzle both of them at once.

“We’re awake, Bud,” Hiccup said, laughing. “We’re awake!”

Toothless gurgled, gave Hiccup another nudge, then sprang up off them into the rafters, making Jack grunt and roll onto his side, coughing.

“Have you learned your lesson?” Hiccup asked, sitting up.

“Always wake up before Toothless,” Jack said, voice hoarse, rubbing his chest.

Hiccup laughed. “No. Never promise Toothless fish you don’t intend to deliver immediately.”

“Got it. I won’t be forgetting that in a hurry.”

Hiccup leaned his elbows on his knees and rubbed his eyes. Jack pulled himself up and rubbed his chest, glaring at the dragon in the roof.

“I think he likes you,” Hiccup told Jack.

“I think he’s pretending to feel better so he can get those fish sooner,” Jack said.

“Well, you only needed to spend five minutes with him to know that! So, when are you going fishing?”

Jack sighed. “Today, I suppose. I did promise. Right, Toothless?”

Hiccup swung his legs out of bed and reached for his foot. Ugh. Whatever Gothi had given him, it had worked, but he very much needed some breakfast. “You’d better,” he said. “I’ll see you this evening, then?”

Jack’s forehead hit his back with a thump, and Hiccup patted him on the shoulder.

“I despise fishing,” Jack said.

Hiccup couldn’t help but laugh. “Then why did you promise to get him fish?”

“Because I couldn’t think of anything else. But you feel better this morning, right?” Jack asked.

Hiccup nodded. “Much.”

From behind him, Hiccup heard a soft “hup!” and Jack sprang backwards over Hiccup’s head, landing softly next to the clothes chest.

Hm. That was a thought. Jack’s clothes looked like they’d seen more than a few years of use, not to mention it was fairly obvious he only had the one set. Maybe instead of testing out that new foot, he should make Jack new clothes.

Maybe just a new cloak. That could be a surprise; he wouldn’t need to know any of Jack’s measurements to make him a new cloak.

“Why are you smiling?” Jack asked him, looking apprehensively from Hiccup to Toothless.

Hiccup glanced back at the dragon. “Why do you assume Toothless is involved?”

“I’m learning,” Jack said. He flicked his staff with his foot, and it leaped up into his hands. “Well, looks like I need to go get fish.”

“Here.” Hiccup dug through a chest and passed a box and a huge bag to Jack. “Equipment. Just … try and get back before this evening or my Dad might miss it.”

“Thanks. I will.”

Hiccup nodded, then walked over and gave Jack a huge, tight hug. Jack froze for a moment before returning it. Hiccup was honestly a little surprised how tight Jack could hold him, given how slender he was.

After breakfast, Hiccup went to the forge and pulled out that old fur he’d been trying to decide what to do with.

 

~

 

Jack stretched out on the wind as he flew off to find a river that might plausibly contain fish. He couldn’t keep his salmon promise, but he could definitely find fish.

Besides, they’d have to be freshwater fish. He wasn’t quite game enough to try ocean fishing around these islands. Not at the moment.

A few likely spots and a few false starts and botched knots later, he’d managed to find a place where he actually seemed likely to catch something. He should have asked Hiccup for a lesson before he left, but he couldn’t keep Hiccup any longer without the others getting suspicious, and besides, Hiccup had just seemed to _assume_ he knew how to fish so after that, it would have just been _embarrassing_. But never mind, he had bait and a hook in the water now, and three fish in the bag. It was all working out.

Late in the afternoon, Jack felt he had done the best he could by filling half the bag. They were pretty big fish, there were, what, five of them now? Toothless would be happy with that, right? He groaned. Why had he offered to do this, again? Fishing was the single most boring pastime humanity had ever invented. Even tying the fishing line to a nearby tree for safety and teaching himself new tricks with the Wind hadn’t been enough to keep him occupied.

One more, and then he’d go home.

_Whump_.

Jack looked up in surprise as the Guardians emerged from North’s portal. Or, North, Tooth and Sandy did – Bunny popped up a few moments later from one of his warrens.

“Jack!” North greeted him. “There you are!” He looked down at Jack and his makeshift line. “I did not take you for fishing type,” he said.

Jack shrugged. “Special occasion. So, what is it? Have you decided?”

North shook his head, glancing at the others, before pulling something out of his pocket. “Not … exactly. Here,” he said. “Is from Manny.”

Jack looked down at it, frowning. “But this is one of your teleport orbs.”

North shook his head. “Little different. Listen: Manny says these islands are _very important_. You must use this to make sure they are still around for a _very important event_.”

There was a funny feeling in Jack’s stomach all of a sudden. “What do you mean, _a very important event_?” he asked. “What exactly does this thing do?”

Bunny lifted the edge of Jack’s sack up. “Frost, these are all bigger than you.”

“Bunny, don’t be rude,” North chastised. “Jack, we said if we had job for you, we would come. And we do have job. Man in Moon thinks you are useful! All you must do is break orb in the middle of Berk, and job done! But remember you must immediately fly away. Yes?”

North was terrible at hiding when he wasn’t telling the whole truth. “What happens when I break the orb?” Jack asked. “What is this going to do to Berk?”

A sand image formed above the Sandman’s head – the orb, a … bigger circle? Which travelled somewhere and popped?

“Sandy? Thanks, but you’re going to have to run that one by me again.”

Tooth put a hand on North’s shoulder and moved forward. “Jack, we need you to do this. We have to get rid of the Nuckelavee, and then we’ll send you a signal. Can you do this for us? For him?” she gestured at the sky.

“You haven’t answered my question,” Jack said. “What. Does this. Do?”

The three Guardians in front of him looked at each other. North, eventually, said, “Manny just said it would take Berk to when it is needed.”

Take.

They were going to take Berk away.

And Hiccup would go with it.

“Where?” Jack asked, barely disguising the quaver in his voice.

North made an uncertain motion with his hand. “Not ‘where’. ‘When’. And Manny did not say. He just said we would need Berk’s dragons, and that this,” he pointed to the orb in Jack’s hands, “had to be done.”

“Why do you need so many fish?” Bunny pressed. “You’re not going to eat all of these on your own.”

Something in Jack snapped. “I swear, Bunny, if you do not get out of that bag, I will _hit you_ with my staff, you _overgrown fieldmouse_.”

There was a sudden, deep silence. Bunny dropped the lip of the bag and stood up slowly. “What was that, mate?”

Jack shoved the portal ball inside his cloak, and looked around at the Guardians staring at him.

“They’re _my_ fish!” he said, not caring if he sounded petty. If they wanted him to tell them about his life, they’d better damn well start at least pretending like he mattered.

He picked up the bag by the neck and swept it over his shoulder.

“Jack,” Tooth began hesitantly. “Is everything alright?”

Jack’s eyes were stinging. He turned to leave. “Yeah,” he said. “I mean, this is my chance, right? Do something important, be like the Guardians. How considerate of the Man in the Moon to _tell me all this himself_!” that last part was shouted at the clouds, where the Moon couldn’t be seen, even if it had been night time.

“It’s not like that, Jack,” Tooth began, then trailed off.

Jack just … had to laugh. “Oh, boy. I am … completely at a loss for where to start on this. Do I go back to how ‘Manny’ always seems to have you playing messenger? Did you have a debate over whether to tell me the truth at all? How best to make me go along with your plans like a good boy?”

“We weren’t ever going to lie to you, Jack,” Tooth said, rubbing her elbow with one hand. “We were just trying to break it … gently. We know how you feel about Manny.”

“Jack,” North said. “You know you must do this. When we are ready, Bunny will make flowers, yes? And you must be sure you get away. Winter still needs its Jack Frost.”

“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll set off your little trap. The Man in the Moon said I had to, right? Wind!” He took off towards Berk, before the others had a chance to say anything.

“We will give signal!” North shouted.

Bunny said something indignant, but Jack was too far away to hear it.


	22. One Last Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I'm not sorry in the slightest for the angst in this chapter, I feel awful releasing it on the day of the election.  
> So here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/8511841 . I wrote some shameless fluff as well. Feel free to go read the fluff and come back to me making fictional people sad another day. Fair warning: I wrote the fluff pretty quickly, so it's not my best writing.

Jack made sure to land outside the village, and stash the bag of fish somewhere safe, so that he wasn’t spotted heading back into the village. The fishing box he hid under his cloak and dropped back in Hiccup’s hut.

Everyone was already at dinner by the time he got there, so it was already too late to start a nice, relaxing snowball fight.

Hiccup left the dining hall with his friends, talking earnestly with them, and getting shoved by Tuffnut over some joke or another he’d made. He was carrying a bag with him, slung over his shoulder, and when he scanned the town, his eyes met Jack’s and his face just … lit up.

Jack’s heart plummeted. Hiccup kept looking around, as if he’d meant just to look around at the evening.

He said something, split off from the group, and headed directly towards Jack.

For a brief, dizzying moment, Jack wondered if Hiccup had convinced the rest of them to see him. For the first time in his life, he wished with all his heart that wouldn’t be the case. Losing just Hiccup would be bad enough.

But Hiccup ran past him, with a sideways glance, and Jack realised Hiccup wanted him to go to the stables with him. He let the breeze carry him after the smiling Viking. Maybe going flying would start to make this whole day make sense.

 

~

 

Hiccup had spent most of the day wondering when Jack would get back. He’d stopped for a brief discussion about the Nuckelavee with Stoick, just to make sure he wasn’t going to come and lecture Hiccup for keeping them out of the loop again before breakfast, and then immediately gone to the forge.

After an actual, whole meal (he’d have to remember to thank Jack for making him eat at least something last night), getting into a project was exactly what he needed. The last lingering sickness and weariness seemed to leave him as he laid out the fur, and started measuring and cutting.

By the end of the afternoon, he’d finished it, hems and all, including the little toggle to keep it on (with a little Hiccup flair thrown in), and he was very nearly feeling up to testing out his new foot. But he shouldn’t overdo it – Jack would get back soon, and he wanted to save enough energy to go flying with him.

Hiccup went back up to the hut to get a satchel, and folded the cloak neatly into it, so that when Jack arrived, he’d be ready to go.

Toothless followed him up the hill, bounding over people and past houses the whole way. He gurgled and nudged Hiccup for pats, and Hiccup obliged.

For a brief moment, he remembered Jack sitting next to him in the stables, scratching Toothless and making fun of them both. Then Toothless gurgled again and he snapped out of it.

“Thor almighty,” Hiccup muttered, and rubbed his face. “Sorry, Bud, we’ll go out flying a bit later.”

Toothless huffed, but didn’t seem too disappointed.

“Toothless,” Hiccup said quietly, because he suddenly felt the burning need to tell somebody, anybody. “I think I love Jack Frost.”

Toothless gurgled and nudged him, and he chuckled. “Glad you approve, Bud,” he said.

When he spotted Jack as he came out of the dining hall, he felt like his day had finally begun. He told the others it was time for that ride he’d promised Toothless, and ran off to the stables.

Inside the stables, where they couldn’t be easily seen, he gave Jack a huge, crushing hug, then suddenly realised he was probably acting just a little strangely.

“Heh. Sorry,” he said, pulling away and brushing his hand through his fringe. But Jack just smiled at him and pulled him back into the hug.

“Let me saddle up Toothless,” Hiccup said, grabbing the saddle off the wall.

“You look like you’re feeling better,” Jack said.

“Well, you know me,” Hiccup said. “I’d never let a little poisoning get in the way of flying. It takes more than that to put a Viking out of action.”

“I stashed Toothless’s fish,” Jack said. “How about we grab those first?”

Toothless immediately perked up, and looked at Hiccup with his huge, green, pleading eyes.

“Well, we have to now you mentioned it,” Hiccup said, laughing.

Jack leaned against the wall. After a moment, he chuckled. “You’re allowed to slow down,” he said.

Hiccup took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his fringe. “Sorry,” he said. “Is it weird to say that I’ve been looking forward to this all day?”

Jack smiled a smile that made it sincerely hard for Hiccup to look away and continue with the saddle. Although, it didn’t look like Jack’s usual smile – Hiccup had spent enough time studying it to tell. Something about his eyes …

“No,” Jack said. “I didn’t think today could take any longer. Although, to be fair, fishing is about the least interesting experience I have ever had.”

Toothless looked offended.

“Heh. I promised fish and fish I got you. We’re even, right, Toothless?”

Toothless nuzzled Jack’s hand, and Jack chuckled again.

Hiccup tightened the last strap. “There,” he said. “All done. Ready?”

Jack nodded, and launched out of the ceiling window, Hiccup following behind him.

“That way,” Jack said, pointing.

Hiccup shook his head. “That’s _far_ too close to the village,” he said. “Toothless, let’s just stop by and grab the bag on our way.”

Toothless _gronk_ ed and one short stop later, they were carrying a bag of fish with them, though Hiccup hadn’t been able to stop him horking back just one before they left.

They stopped at Jack’s old tree, the one they’d done tricks from that day, the one Toothless had pulled Jack out of. Jack looked at Hiccup with a raised eyebrow.

Hiccup raised his hands. “Just … bear with me, alright?”

That was as far as they were going to get Toothless to fly before he started in on the fish, so they stopped there for a while.

Hiccup stole a glance at Jack, and followed Jack’s eyes to the moonrise, barely visible behind the clouds just now starting to colour on the horizon. There was an odd expression on Jack’s face.

He shuffled over and tapped Jack on the shoulder. “Toothless is going to be done with those in a moment,” he said. “Have you got any requests?”

Jack looked at him. “Requests?” The fact that he was startled, a little puzzled, was written all over his face, and Hiccup suppressed a smile.

“Yeah, requests,” Hiccup said, pulling out his map and spreading it out on the grass. “Where would you like to go?”

Jack’s eyes softened. “Anywhere,” he said quietly.

Hiccup had to pretend to cough to hide the heat rising to his cheeks. Then he looked again at Jack’s smile.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

Jack shook his head. “No,” he said. “Just … if you told me before I came to Berk how this week would play out …”

“I wouldn’t have believed me, either,” Hiccup admitted, giving Jack’s hand a squeeze. “We can do this another day, if you like.”

“No!” Jack said suddenly, then paused and grinned sheepishly. “I mean, today is fine. Take me anywhere.”

Toothless gulped down the last fish and looked expectantly at them.

Hiccup stood up. “Well,” he said. “I had one idea. Toothless, you ready?”

Toothless knelt down so Hiccup could climb on his back. Hiccup made a sweeping bow towards Jack. “Well?” he asked. “Are you coming with us?”

Jack looked from Toothless to Hiccup and back. “You mean, ride with you?”

Hiccup nodded. Dammit, he’d rehearsed this. Why was Jack looking so sceptical? “Well, uh. I just wanted … wondered … if maybe I could show you flying … our way?”

Jack smiled again, the one that crumpled his whole face, and stepped to get onto Toothless.

Oh.

Not to get to Toothless.

He’d taken Hiccup’s chin in one hand, and guided Hiccup’s lips to his own.

This kiss was cold and soft and insistent. Jack pressed his mouth onto Hiccup’s until Hiccup had to steady himself to avoid losing his footing, and press back.

All of a sudden, Jack broke away. Hiccup rocked forward and stood blinking at the sudden release.

“Um,” Hiccup said dazedly, then, “You know, I had this whole plan to save that for the end of the evening. There were dramatic moments involved and everything.”

Jack chuckled. “Well, I’ve never been much of a one for other people’s plans,” he said, and sprang lightly onto Toothless’s back. The dragon gave Hiccup an insufferably smug look.

Hiccup followed him, swinging his leg over Toothless and clicking his foot into place. He wrapped his arms around Jack to hold onto the front of the saddle and put his chin on Jack’s shoulder.

Toothless rose under them, and Jack steadied himself against the motion. Toothless rose into the air with an undulating motion as his wings beat and he gained ground, until they were flying high above Berk, Toothless pulled into a shallow circle around the whole island, and Hiccup shifted his tailfin, hardly noticing.

Jack leaned out over the side, looking down at the island, eyes glowing, mouth open and laughing.

Well, as long as he wasn’t saving kisses for the end of the evening … Hiccup turned his head and placed a lingering kiss on Jack’s cheek. Jack turned to give him a smug grin. “That’s very cute and all,” he said, and his head ducked, placing his COLD nose directly on Hiccup’s collarbone.

Hiccup lurched to the side, his leg adjusting the tailfin the wrong way. Toothless made a surprised noise, and they spun for a moment, Jack’s laughter drowning out the rush of the wind, until Hiccup got the tailfin back in control.

Toothless was extremely unimpressed, but Hiccup was having trouble being truly annoyed. He loved it when Jack laughed. It was so … sincere. When Jack laughed, every part of him laughed.

Hiccup felt Toothless shift, going into a steep downwards spin, just in time for Hiccup to shift foot positions. Jack gasped and grabbed at Hiccup’s arm as they changed direction abruptly, then broke out into laughter again. Toothless’s wings snapped out and they abruptly stopped falling, starting to tip back into the sky. Jack and Hiccup lifted away from the saddle as Toothless turned upside-down in a lazy arc. Hiccup took the excuse to wrap one of his arms around Jack’s waist.

Jack glanced down at Hiccup’s arm as Toothless righted himself and they started to coast over to a tiny island Hiccup had found while trying to map the area a fair while ago.

“What?” Jack asked. “Afraid I’d fall off?”

“After that stunt, I didn’t know if Toothless would want to catch you.”

Jack gave Toothless a scratch. “Give it a minute,” he told the dragon. “You’ll find it was actually pretty funny.”

Toothless grumbled, and took them down onto the island, which had sheer, sloping cliff faces down to the ocean, and on top of which were a few trees surrounding a pond about the size of Berk’s village centre.

“Uh,” Jack said, as he looked at the pond. “I hate to break it to you, but bodies of water and I don’t get along. If you were planning on going swimming …”

Hiccup shook his head, trying to dig his foot out of the bag without revealing Jack’s cloak inside. “We’re not going swimming.” He sat down and began to undo his leg.

“What’s this?” Jack asked.

“After you iced the cave over, we went back,” Hiccup explained. “I don’t tend to go on ice a lot, so I never really thought about this, but metal and ice aren’t really the most stable combination.”

“Yeah,” Jack said. “So … you made yourself a new foot?”

Hiccup nodded. “I got the idea and I had to try it. Here, look while I do up the last few straps.”

Jack gently lifted Hiccup’s leg and looked at the bottom of the metal foot, where Hiccup had fashioned the foot into an ice-skating blade.

Jack grinned and hopped up. He walked over to the water and stepped onto it. From his feet, ice spread until the whole pond was covered over.

Hiccup strapped a skate onto his other foot, and stood up carefully. Hm. On grass, the blades were unwieldy – he was cutting into the dirt and it was hard to find his balance. He leaned on Toothless’s head for support, and started to hobble down to the lake.

“Wait,” Jack told him. “I need to make sure it’s good and thick.”

Hiccup patted Toothless’s head and the dragon retreated. “Sure,” he said,

On bare feet, Jack started to skate across the ice with a practiced, lazy movement, leaving little crystal patterns in his wake. His feet slid on the surface just as easily as if he were wearing skates. Hiccup watched, mesmerised. He nearly didn’t notice when Jack stepped back onto the grass.

“Alright,” he said, reaching up. Hiccup took his hands and Jack guided him onto the ice with a firm and sure grip.

Hiccup was badly out of practice, and the new foot wasn’t helping him any. His right foot seemed to know exactly what to do, but his left just wouldn’t move the way he needed it to.

“You need to put more weight on the inside of the foot,” Jack suggested.

Hiccup pushed down through the inside of his leg, concentrating only on the movement, or as best he could while he was holding Jack’s hands. This worked just fine for about the first half a stroke, then he felt the outer blade catch and he fell forward. Jack and Hiccup both went down with a _whump_ and a tangle of limbs.

“Sorry!” Hiccup said, scrambling off Jack. “Did I land on anything important?”

Jack shook his head. “Nothing at all.” He did something with his back and legs, and shot straight up into the air, touching down perfectly upright on the ice. He reached down. “Ready to give it another shot?”

Hiccup took Jack’s hands again and let the spirit of Winter help him to his feet.

After a few more tries, Hiccup was managing to skate without Jack holding him every step of the way, but the movement felt very wrong compared to his other skate, and he was about ready to give this one up as a prototype. He turned as Jack skated in a lazy circle around him, switching legs and directions with the ease of someone who’d been skating all his life. Behind Hiccup, Jack’s graceful lines of crystals were carved up by Hiccup’s lines and scores.

“I’m ruining all your ice patterns,” Hiccup said.

Jack laughed. “Pfft. It’s just ice. There’s more where that came from. See?” He pointed to his feet, where fresh, untouched crystals spread from his bare toes. “What do you think of the foot?”

Hiccup skated to the edge of the pond, and half sat down, half fell onto the grass.

“Not quite right,” he said, taking off his skate. “I think I need more practice, for a start. Uh, can you…?”

“Right here,” Jack said, picking up Hiccup’s usual foot and bringing it to him. He waited while Hiccup changed feet.

Hiccup pulled his bag off and sat it down on the grass. He turned to Jack, and their eyes met. “So, if this had all gone as planned,” Hiccup said, “This is where I would have done this.” He gently put his hand against the back of Jack’s neck and pulled him close for another kiss, no less insistent than Jack’s, but longer and more experimental.

They broke apart. Jack grinned, a little breathless. “I’ll admit,” he told Hiccup, “Your dramatic timing is better than mine.”

Hiccup couldn’t think of anything to say. He was making a determined effort to get lost in Jack’s eyes and he didn’t particularly want to do anything else.

“You also plan an excellent outing,” Jack said, turning away and looking out over the frozen pond. “Dragon rides, ice skates … tell me, did you plan anything else … for …”

Hiccup pulled the cloak out of his bag, and handed it to Jack. “Here,” he said. “I saw your old one was getting a little threadbare, so I made you another.”

Jack took the soft fur from Hiccup with a look of utter astonishment on his face. Hiccup started to get just a little nervous. Had it been too far?

“Here,” he said, shifting so he was sitting cross-legged in front of Jack. “I thought white suited you best, because of the whole winter thing. I’ve had this lying around for so long, trying to figure out what to do with it.” His fingers found the toggle, and he held it up for Jack to see. “And I, uh, fiddled with this a little bit. The toggle goes through, but then you put the leather through this little clip and snap it shut like so …” _snap_ “And then it won’t ever come undone while you’re flying. When you undo it, you just …” _click_ “and take it apart. See?”

Hiccup waited in silence for a moment, while Jack ran the fur through his fingers for a moment, and then, to his horror, Jack lifted the white fur to his face and started to cry.

 


	23. The Man in the Moon Said So

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone suggested, while I was editing this chapter, that I should listen to ‘When Can I See You Again’ by Owl City for unrelated reasons. I also managed to time another edit pass with ‘Stomach It’ (Acoustic) by Crywolf showing up on my playlist.  
> The resulting emotional pain each time was such that I immediately made a note to suggest both to my loyal victims/readers. Should you decide to check either/both songs out while reading these chapters, ye have been warned.

As soon as Hiccup took the cloak out of the bag, Jack was barely listening to him. He’d been putting off his news for the whole evening, trying to just enjoy the Viking’s company, trying to ignore the trouble that Hiccup’s enthusiasm was going to cause for him. He’d almost managed it, flying on Toothless. He’d almost managed it ice skating. But now, holding the first gift he’d been given in nearly half a century – since North last made the effort to give him a Christmas present – it all came crashing in. The fur was white and soft, and he ran his hands through it.

Hiccup was babbling about the colour of it – oh, no, he’d really put thought into this – and Jack didn’t look at him, struggling to keep in the scream that so desperately wanted to get out of his mouth.

It came undone when Hiccup showed him the clasp, and demonstrated it.

“And then it won’t ever come undone while you’re flying,” Hiccup said. Jack’s traitorous mind said _so you won’t ever lose your last memory of him_ and he just … crumpled. He hid his face in the white fur, and what was supposed to be a discreet sob turned into an all-out, incoherent bawl.

“Jack?” Hiccup asked. “Jack? Oh, Odin, what have I done? Jack, talk to me!”

_It wasn’t you_ , Jack wanted to tell Hiccup, but he couldn’t seem to find the breath for it. He reached one hand out for Hiccup, groping blindly in the air. He felt Hiccup’s hand on his, and gripped it tight.

Hiccup finally seemed to get the message, and he pulled Jack over into his lap, wrapping Jack up in his arms and holding him close. Jack dropped the cloak and buried his face directly into Hiccup’s riding outfit.

“Alright,” Hiccup said. “Not what I expected. How about you just … let it all out and _then_ we’ll talk?”

Hiccup moved again, and something pressed against his back. It was scaly, and made a comforting, gurgly purr.

Jack hadn’t realised he had any crying left in him, but apparently he did. The force of his sobbing seemed to double, and he was pretty sure that he was going to throw up.

Hiccup’s grip tightened.

Finally, Jack slowed down to a sob, and then to a tremble as he tried to catch his breath.

Hiccup reached into the bag and pulled out a skin of water. “Here,” he said, handing it to Jack.

Jack took it and had a drink, then washed his face and passed it back. He felt emptied out, like his first time sitting up after a long illness. He was shivering.

“So, um,” Hiccup said. “I get the feeling that was about a lot more than just the cloak.”

Jack tried to laugh, really he did.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” Jack said. “But I have to.”

“I’m worried,” Hiccup said. “Should I be worried?”

Jack reached into his cloak and pulled out the portal ball.

“What’s that?” Hiccup asked.

“Do Vikings have stories about the Man in the Moon?” Jack asked.

“Yes,” Hiccup said.

“Well … I mentioned him before, but I only told you that he made me, right?. He’s supposed to be some great leader of people like me … you know, the Tooth Fairy. The Easter Bunny.”

“Right,” Hiccup said, nodding. “I’m with you so far.”

“I told you he’s the first thing I remember,” Jack said. “As far as I’m aware, he created me from a frozen lake, and told me my name. And since then … he hasn’t said a thing to me.”

“Is that,” Hiccup nodded towards the portal ball, “from him?”

Jack nodded, turning it over and over in his hands. “He … he got the others to give it to me,” he said. His shoulders started to convulse again. “He told _them_ to tell me it was im-important.”

Hiccup squeezed him, and Jack took deep breaths until he had his voice under control again.

“How weird does that sound so far?” Jack asked.

“I’ve got a pretty high threshold for weird,” Hiccup said. “This last week alone has broken some long-standing records.”

Jack managed a small smile.

“I mean,” Hiccup said, “About six, seven years ago now, everybody told me dragons were vicious creatures who would,” he frowned and imitated Gobber, “Kill me as soon as look at me!”

Jack looked at Toothless, who was resting his head across his and Hiccup’s legs, looking up at them with round, innocent eyes.

“But, when I met Toothless, that turned out to be wrong,” Hiccup said. “And if I hadn’t been paying attention, maybe I would never have realised. Then you show up, and you’re invisible and you create ice and snow from nothing, which I thought was impossible, but I was wrong about that, too. So, if you tell me there’s a man in the moon who gives out shiny glass orbs that make gorgeous winter spirits cry, then, well, I’ve been wrong before.”

Jack sniffed and wiped his eyes. “I feel so stupid,” he said.

“I get it,” Hiccup said. “My Dad and I weren’t always on such great terms. For a long time, it felt like no matter what I said, he heard exactly the opposite. It gets under your skin.”

Jack gripped the teleport orb tight, until he finally had to put it in his lap, or risk crushing it there and then. “Did he ever want you to give up everything that mattered to you in order to do what was important to him?”

“Oh, only about once an hour,” Hiccup said airily. “Wait. What do you mean, _everything that mattered_?”

Jack tapped the orb. “The Man in the Moon needs Berk,” he said. “But not yet. I break this in the Town Square and get out of the way, and Berk goes away. With everyone in it.”

 

~

 

As soon as Jack said that, Hiccup went very, very still.

“I know everyone in the village will be fine,” Jack said. “And I know you’ll come back. But I don’t know how long you’ll be gone for. And … I can’t stay here, because then nobody gets Winter.”

“And I can’t go with you,” Hiccup finished for him, hollowly.

Jack nodded. He wasn’t sure anymore whether it was him shaking, Hiccup, or both of them. “You’re the chief’s son, and the dragon expert, and the best trainer in Berk. If the Man in the Moon needs the dragons, then he needs you, too.”

Hiccup didn’t respond. Jack picked up the cloak, and replaced his old one with it. Clasp done up just like Hiccup had showed him.

“Now it’ll never come off,” Jack said, with a weak smile.

Hiccup made a disgusted noise and all but tipped Jack off his lap as he stood up. Jack scrambled for the teleport orb.

“Hiccup, I’m so sorry, I didn’t ever mean …”

“Not you,” Hiccup said. “Sorry, Jack, I just need to pace it out for a bit.”

Jack sat curled up next to Toothless while Hiccup walked back and forth, eyes moving across the grass like he might find the solution half-buried in the dirt.

“Hiccup,” Jack said.

“How long do we have?” Hiccup asked.

“I don’t know,” Jack admitted. “The … others needed to take care of the Nuckelavee first.”

“Right,” Hiccup said. “So that’s one problem we don’t need to take care of anymore. Good. Now … the Man in the Moon needs Berk for its dragons?”

“That’s what I was told,” Jack said.

“Alright,” Hiccup said. “We’re the only place with dragons who co-operate with humans.” He ran his hands through his hair again. “And that thing …”

“Takes you to ‘when’ you’ll be needed,” Jack said. “Which means, I guess … there’s going to be something between now and then that will prevent you from doing what you’re needed to do?”

“Right,” Hiccup said. “If only we knew how long that thing was going to send us forward for … we might get a better idea of what it was. It would have to be pretty big, to threaten both us and the dragons …”

Jack stood up, walked over, and gave Hiccup a hug to stop him walking.

“Hiccup,” he said. “The Man in the Moon made me nearly eighty years ago, and he hasn’t shown a single sign of telling me why yet. Maybe whatever it is … hasn’t even begun to happen yet.”

“Odin,” Hiccup cursed. “Give me a few days, alright? Remember, you’re not good at following other people’s plans? Well, I’m even worse. We’ll come up with something.” He pulled back from the hug to give Jack a smile.

Jack desperately wanted to believe the optimism in that smile, but he’d known the Man in the Moon for too long.

“Hey, hey, no,” Hiccup said quickly, holding Jack’s face with one hand. “No more crying, alright? I promise, we’ll figure it out.”

Jack sniffed and leaned his head on Hiccup’s shoulder. “I need you to do something,” he said.

“What is it?”

“When we need to set this thing, please can you do it?”

“What do you mean _when_?”

“I can’t,” Jack said, voice cracking. “If you leave it to me, I won’t do it.”

Hiccup took the orb off him. “Alright,” he said. “I promise – _if_ we can’t stop it, then you get clear, and I’ll break it. But only _if_ , because I haven’t given up yet and neither have you. Got it?”

“I’m sorry,” Jack said.

“Don’t be. We’re not allowed to be sorry for this,” Hiccup told him firmly. “Neither of us, alright?”

“Why on Earth would you have to be sorry?” Jack asked.

“I’d find a way somehow. Besides, it’s got to be fair, right?”

“Where exactly in this entire situation did we come to ‘fair’?”

“Sometimes you’ve got to make a little fair where you can find it,” Hiccup said. “Now, let’s go and get some sleep. You look like you could use it.”


	24. Spring Flowers in Winter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awkward Dad Stoick woooo!

Jack had insisted again that he sleep over the covers, though Hiccup wanted to protest. Though he wouldn't say anything about it to Jack, the secrecy was really starting to rankle. Especially with the job he had to do that morning.

It wasn't his idea. Jack had it through his head that once the Man in the Moon said something, that was that. Despite all Hiccup’s efforts, he'd begged Hiccup to plan ‘just in case’, and so here Hiccup was, outside his father's hall, waiting for a runner to tell Stoick that his son was outside, waiting for an urgent but secret discussion.

Jack put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Hic.”

Hiccup tried to smile discreetly but encouragingly. Jack had been worrying all night; he could tell.

“Hiccup?” Stoick asked from the door.

Hiccup shuffled inside. Jack followed, just before Stoick closed the door.

It was just the three of them. Two, from Stoick’s perspective.

“What’s wrong, son?” Stoick asked.

Hiccup scratched his head uncomfortably. “Uh … so, I know I've said a lot of crazy stuff over the years, but boy is this one going to set a new standard. I need your help with something.”

Stoick’s eyes narrowed.

Hiccup reached into his belt pouch, where the teleport orb was resting. “I was … looking in the caves, for more information about the strange creatures we've been seeing. And I found this.”

He held up the orb and let Stoick look at it.

“I think …” Hiccup began, then sighed. He glanced over at Jack. Odin, he’d always been a terrible liar. “I learned that the things that have been attacking the village are vulnerable to dragons. Which means that we can beat them. But I don’t know how yet.”

Stoick nodded. “That’s good!” he said. “You should ask Astrid and Fishlegs, I’m sure they can help. We can sit down and talk it through, the three of you, and me and Gobber. That’s good information. We’ll strike soon, before there can be another attack.”

Hiccup rubbed his face with one hand. That was about what he’d expected. “That’s not everything, though, Dad.”

“I’m listening.” Stoick leaned forward, watching Hiccup intently.

“If we get rid of them now, they’ll just come back,” Jack said hollowly. “That must be why you have to use the orb.”

Hiccup resisted the urge to tell him that there was no ‘must’ about it, and instead said to his Dad, “But we’re on a time limit. If … if we can’t beat them in time, then we have to use the orb.”

“What does it do?” Stoick asked.

“It … I’m not exactly sure. These things can only be beaten by dragons, and if we run out of time now … this thing will give us a second chance.”

Stoick frowned. “What kind of a second chance?” he asked. “How do you know all this?”

“The orb … makes sure that Berk and its dragons will still be there next time we’re needed,” Hiccup said. “And I can’t tell you how I know.  It’s … very complicated.”

Stoick looked at him for a long time.

“Please, Dad,” Hiccup said. “All I’m asking is that if we run out of time, you help me get the villagers to go along with this. This could be about a lot more than just Berk.”

Stoick remained … stoic.

Hiccup sighed. “Look, Dad, I know you don’t believe many of my theories. But please! I was right about the dragons. Can’t you just … trust me?”

Stoick stood up. “How will you know when time is up?” he asked.

“Spring flowers,” Jack said. “Bunny’s sending the signal, so it’ll be spring flowers.”

“Spring flowers in winter,” Hiccup said.

Stoick leaned forward and put a hand on Hiccup’s shoulder. “It’s never hard to convince Vikings to go on an adventure,” he said. “Go get Astrid and Fishlegs. I’ll get Gobber.”

Hiccup stood stunned for a moment. “You … you believe me?”

Stoick paused. “I trust you,” he said. “Childhood notwithstanding, you’re not a liar. I wish you were a little more interested in being Chief, but you’ve never missed an opportunity to stand between Berk and danger. I expect a full explanation later. You are to keep me informed of everything." At the last sentences, he pointed a huge finger at Hiccup.

Hiccup threw himself at his father and gave him a hug. “Thanks, Dad,” he said, then headed for the door of the hut. Jack followed him, with an odd, pained grin on his face.

“With any luck,” Hiccup said to both of them, “We won’t have to use the orb at all.” He opened the door, and stopped short. Outside the hall, Berk’s villagers were standing puzzling over the hundreds of flowers in every colour poking up through the snow.

“No,” Hiccup said, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say. “No, it's too soon.”

Jack was leaning on his staff, staring at a daffodil at his feet. “I think that’s our signal,” he said, distantly. His knuckles were white and he looked as though he might collapse if he tried to move.

“Get everybody into the square!” Hiccup told Stoick. “I have just one thing to do, and then I will be right there!”

Not caring how it might look, he grabbed Jack's arm and took off running towards the hut, calling Toothless as he went.

 

~

 

Hiccup pushed Jack inside the hut, let Toothless in, and then hesitated.

Jack made the decision for him. He lunged towards Hiccup. Hiccup caught him and held him close for a long moment, trying desperately to think of something to say.

“I told you,” Jack said. “I told you he was always …”

Hiccup pushed Jack’s head against his shoulder to shut him up. “Don’t talk about him,” he said coldly.

Jack fought his way free. “Hiccup …”

“Is this why you said we had no choice?” Hiccup demanded. “Because by the time we got organised, it would be too late to do anything about it anyway?”

Jack twisted his fingers in Hiccup’s sleeves, and nodded.

Hiccup sighed. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’m not angry with you.”

Jack shook his head. “I guess I’m just … out of anger. Hiccup, you have to go and break the teleport orb. Now.”

Hiccup wrapped Jack back up in his arms. “I know, I know,” he said. “And you have to get out of town.”

“I’ll see you again,” Jack said, with a confidence belied by his shaking voice. “Spirits of Winter don’t die, and we’re doing this because the Man in the Moon needs Berk just the way it is. When you come back …”

“I’ll miss you,” Hiccup interrupted. Whatever Jack had been saying died out on his tongue.

 “I’ll miss you,” Hiccup repeated, and kissed Jack. It wasn’t a very good kiss. They were both shaking, and Jack’s mouth kept twisting as he tried not to cry.

Jack walked over to Toothless and gave him a scratch on the chin. Toothless purred sadly and nuzzled Jack.

“Why me?” Hiccup asked aloud.

Jack looked up at him. “What?”

“Why me?” Hiccup repeated. “I’m not Chief material. All I ever wanted to do was fly and make maps. Why do these things always come down to me?”

Jack put his hand on Hiccup’s shoulder. “Because you’re also the sort of person who jumps in front of skinless horse-men for his friends. For someone who doesn’t like responsibility, you sure make a habit of grabbing it with both hands.”

Hiccup put his arms around Jack’s waist and pressed his forehead against Jack’s. “Don’t be right anymore,” he said.

“I think you’d make a great Chief,” Jack said.

“I’m barely in the village if I can help it,” Hiccup pointed out.

“True,” Jack admitted. “But when something needs doing, you just go for it. No questions, no hesitation. Just … what needs to happen.”

“Why are you flattering me?”

“Because I feel bad for making you do this for me,” Jack said.

“It’s better this way,” Hiccup said. “This way, you can be sure of getting away in time. We're not allowed to be sorry, remember.”

Someone banged on the door.

“Everyone’s gathered,” Stoick said. “Hiccup, what are you doing in there?”

“Coming,” Hiccup called. He kissed Jack one last time, quickly, and walked out the door before he had a chance to think too hard about it.

Behind him, Jack called to the wind, and Hiccup felt the sudden gust that carried Jack up and away from him ruffle his hair. He didn’t dare look back.

Hiccup took a deep breath, straightened his shirt, and walked to the Town Square to try and explain the teleport orb to every Viking in Berk.


	25. End part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, folks, here we are. After this there will be three short intermission chapters, and then we’ll get back into the story proper.

“Everyone’s here, Hiccup,” Stoick said as they arrived at the square.

“Right,” Hiccup said. “How are our food stores?”

“Plentiful,” Stoick said. “It’s just coming into winter.”

“Livestock?”

“None out in the pastures. Hiccup, why …?”

“Just … making sure. What about children?”

“All here,” Stoick said. “We made sure.”

They looked at each other for a moment, then Stoick gestured forwards.

“What, me?” Hiccup asked.

“You’re the one who knows about the orb,” Stoick said. “Besides. It’ll be good practice.”

Hiccup felt a little queasy. Step up and do what needs doing, huh? “Alright,” he said. “Here goes nothing.”

The entire village watched him as he approached. He put a hand into his pouch and closed it around the orb.

“A few years back now,” he said, “I asked all of you to trust me that dragons could be our allies, not our enemies. Over the years, I will admit, my record for asking people to trust me has been a little mixed. But now I need to ask you to trust me again.”

He held up the orb where everyone could see it. “This, I found in the caves where the witch lived. Berk’s monster problem is not over. But with this, we don’t just fix our monster problem. We fix _everybody’s_ monster problem.”

There was a muttering from the crowd. He took a moment and discreetly looked around for his friends. Snotlout and the twins seemed excited enough. Fishlegs looked terrified. Astrid was squinting at him suspiciously, though. He’d have trouble with her later, he knew it.

“But, there’s a catch. Several of them. I break this orb, and we – the entire island – will be transported somewhere else.” Best leave the future thing out for now, he figured. The fewer questions the better. “I don’t know where, or when. But I do know we will all arrive safely. And I know that once we are there, we will be needed to fix this whole … mess. So, if you want to leave, take anything you want with you. There are boats. We need to do this as soon as possible, but we can spare an hour or two for people to gather their things and leave. I won’t ask anybody to come who doesn’t want to.”

This caused more muttering. Hiccup had been afraid of this. The villagers looked uncertain, glancing at friends and family. Nobody seemed to want to be the first to move either for or against.

Stoick stepped up and put his hand on Hiccup’s shoulder. “We are _Vikings_ ,” he said. “Aren’t daring voyages and dangerous monsters what we _do_?”

There was a setting of shoulders and feet throughout the square. Nobody moved.

Hiccup tried not to look too put out. Yet again, his father accomplished in two sentences what he’d managed to flub in an entire speech.

“Alright, Hiccup,” Stoick said, looking down at his son. “Do it.”

Hiccup was so surprised that Stoick was passing the attention back to him that he nearly forgot to actually move. He coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. Then, he placed the orb on the ground, put his metal foot on top of it, and brought his weight down.

The orb shattered.

 

~

 

Jack watched from a nearby island, waiting for it. For a moment, he’d begun to hope (though he knew it was stupid) that Hiccup wouldn’t be able to do it … but then he saw it. The silvery light expanded over the island, everything inside blurry. And then with a soft _pop_ , the island was gone. There was turbulence in the water for a moment as the sea rushed in to fill the gap, and then nothing.

North, Sandy, Tooth and Bunny emerged from the trees. North was breathing heavily, Bunny leaned on a tree for a moment.

A few pictures flickered over Sandy’s head, though Jack wasn’t paying attention.

“We’ve done it!” Bunny crowed. “Last hurrah of the Dark Ages! Whew. What I wouldn’t give to see that look on Pitch’s face again.”

Sandy tugged Jack’s sleeve, and Jack looked down.

_Frowny face, question mark?_

“Never better,” Jack said. “Mission accomplished.”

“Good work,” North said, and went to put his hand on Jack’s shoulder.

Jack shrugged it off and stepped away. “Yeah, thanks,” he said.

There was silence for a moment. The Guardians watched Jack like he might be about to explode. Tooth reached a hand out, but put it down again without saying anything.

“That is very nice new cloak,” North commented. “It suits you.”

Jack grinned his broadest grin and shrugged. “Grabbed it just in time. They’ll never miss it. Wind!”

He flew off, before they could ask more questions and before he was betrayed by the prickling in his eyes.

 


	26. Intermission 1 - The Cloak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear the rest of this fic isn't going to be 100% angst.  
> Even if it kinda feels that way right now.

Jack Frost flew over the mountains, wearing his old, white cloak. It was a tatty-looking thing that had seen decades of use. He was starting to get sick of North talking about it.

“Jack, every time I see you, that thing looks older. Why don’t you get new one? Is Winter – I ask yetis to make you new one for Christmas, eh?”

Jack refused, and made a point of avoiding North around Christmas time.

He had tried to take care of the cloak, really he had. But with the temperatures he dealt with, no amount of care would make hide last forever. It was starting to crack, to dry out. The fur was nearly gone now, except for a few lonesome patches, and he’d replaced the leather tie more times than he could count. The clasp was stiff, and Jack never took the cloak off anymore, for fear he’d snap the metal.

There. The village. He grinned and started to swoop down, to prepare a snowy morning for them …

With the sudden change in direction, something at his neck went _plink_ and the cloak snapped off, pulled away in the wind.

Jack dove and careened after it, swiping desperately, and finally catching up to it when it landed on the ground, on top of a huge rock.

The clasp was gone. Or, half of it was – the rest still held on desperately to the leather thong, mostly out of luck.

The other half was nowhere to be found.

Jack sat down heavily in front of the rock, rubbing the cracking hide between his fingers. The leather thong was about to go again, too. Strands of fur came away on his hands, and he could see his knee through one of the holes.

He looked up at the Moon, which was slowly descending towards the horizon.

“How much longer?” he asked. “Surely … surely it will be time soon?”

The Moon did not respond.

Jack took a deep breath. Using his hands and his stick, he scraped a hole into the near-frozen dirt underneath the huge rock. He buried the cloak there, patting the dirt down, and then freezing it solid, so that nothing could dig it up.

He stood, and went to bring Winter to the village. After that, maybe he would go to North and ask about a new cloak.

Or, he could finally see what was inside that workshop of his. It had been a busy Winter – surely North wouldn’t begrudge him a little harmless fun.

 

~

 

Spring came in the mountains, and nearby villagers found a patch of frozen dirt under a boulder that never seemed to thaw. A story spread about a little patch of ground where Jack Frost had lost a battle of wits with the Spring. But in the Spring’s pity, she had offered him a small patch of her land to be his forever, always frozen solid even in deepest Summer.

Jack listened to the story precisely once, and then never again.

 


	27. Intermission 2 - What are Friends For?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out Hiccup has friends. Who knew?

Hiccup sat on the cliff edge. Under his dangling feet, the ocean lapped sedately at the cliff edge, tideless and constant. It carried no fish now; the Vikings had caught and stored all the fish that came with them. Everything was cured, indexed, accounted for and rationed. Farms and pastures had come with them, and most things seemed to grow normally, despite their circumstances, so there was nothing to worry about in terms of food.

Hiccup had volunteered for it, for all of it. Stoick had been pleased, but Hiccup could tell that Stoick knew something was up. There had been … questions. A couple of fights. But mostly Hiccup had managed to keep busy enough to avoid all of that. But now that everything was listed out, gathered and categorised in his neatest handwriting, sometimes redone just because he didn’t like the way the words looked – they had to be perfect, this was Chief business, not his notebook scrawls – there was nothing left to do but think.

In front of him, the air shimmered silver. Through that, darkness. Hiccup sometimes thought he could see points of light, like stars, but most of the time, he thought it was just his eyes playing tricks on him.

By his count (kept meticulously in the absence of seasons), they’d been travelling for six months now, with no indication of how long they intended to continue.

Hiccup wished he had something else to do. Some project to work on, something to organise or accomplish. The bubble was just too small to even take Toothless for a decent fly. But in this tedium, he had far too much time to miss Jack.

No – he’d expected to _miss_ Jack. What he hadn’t expected was for it to _hurt_ so much. He’d known Jack for all of a few weeks – barely any time at all – and yet, he couldn’t seem to do anything without being reminded of the Winter Spirit, and every time he was reminded …

“Hey,” a familiar voice said, and Astrid sat down beside him.

“Hey, Astrid,” Hiccup said, without much enthusiasm.

“I’m calling this one in,” Astrid said. “Remember when I said you were acting weird, and you said you’d tell me when you could? And how you owe me a favour for telling your Dad about the Nuckelavee?”

“Yeah,” Hiccup said. Should he? Astrid had dismissed him out of hand last time – what could he tell her that would change that?

“Well, we’re stuck here, nothing’s changing, and you’re still acting really weird,” Astrid said. “So, don’t you think it’s time you told me?”

Hiccup sighed. There was no point in lying.

“Do you remember how I told you about Jack Frost?”

“Yes,” Astrid said, a little testily.

“Well … I wasn’t actually lying. He’s the boy I spotted that I tried to point out to you, but you couldn’t see him. He warned me about the bundle on the cliff, he turned the book pages to lead us to Agnes, and he froze the cave after we were there. He tipped snow down your boot once.”

Astrid frowned. Hiccup gave her a weak smile. “And I love him.” Even telling Toothless hadn’t made it feel quite so solid as telling Astrid. His chest ached.

There was silence for a long, long time, before Astrid finally said, “You’re actually telling the truth, aren’t you?”

Hiccup nodded. “That’s it. That’s the truth.”

“He gave you the orb, didn’t he?”

“And told me why it was important, yes.”

Astrid chuckled. “Just when I thought things with you couldn’t get any weirder. What are you going to tell everyone?”

“Everyone?”

She shrugged. “It’s a small village. You mope for months, people notice.”

“I can’t very well tell them the truth,” Hiccup said, deciding not to contest the ‘moping’ comment. “I mean, look how much it took to convince _you_.”

“Does he love you, too?”

“I … well, we’ve … we might have gone on a couple of …” Hiccup trailed off, fiddling with his hair so Astrid couldn’t see his face.

Astrid looked him up and down, and then said, “If you like, I’ll tell them I saw him, too.”

Hiccup looked at her in surprise. “What?”

“You’re a horrible liar, Hiccup Haddock, so you’d better tell them the truth. If you want to tell everyone about Jack Frost, I’ll say I saw him. Fishlegs will back you up if you ask him, too.”

Hiccup sighed. “I guess I have to say _something_.”

“Yup. You do.”

“We’ll just tell them I was worried people wouldn’t believe me if I told anyone, until I told you, and you said you’d seen him, too.”

“Sounds good.”

Hiccup fiddled with his hair. “Can … can we leave out the love part? Even when we tell Fishlegs?”

Astrid arched an eyebrow. “That bad, huh?”

“Worse,” Hiccup muttered.

“For now, then,” Astrid said. “But you know if he shows up again, you really won’t be able to keep that secret.”

Hiccup shrugged. “I know,” he said. “But I’ll take secret for now.”


	28. Intermission 3 - March 1868

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter that I knew was going in basically as soon as I started writing this fic
> 
> Thank you so much everyone for your comments and kudos! It's all very warm and fuzzy over this end of the Intertubes, thanks to you.
> 
> This is also the last of the Intermission chapters; we're getting back to some premium-quality plot after this.

Winter was nearly over, and Jack Frost was getting ready to go North again, back to where it never really stopped snowing. It was this time of year he missed Berk most. He could just imagine going back to spend the end of winter with the Vikings – playing in the last snows of the year, and then spending Spring and Summer there before he had to go out and bring Winter again.

There was a scuffling noise nearby. He looked down. Huh.

“Long time no see,” he said, drifting down out of his tree to greet Bunny, who was hiding eggs under a bush just outside the town. Bunny and Jack never got along, but at least they could talk.

“Frost?” Bunny asked, standing up. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s still March,” Jack pointed out.

“Well, just mind your snowflakes there, mate. It’s Easter tomorrow. My time. Not yours.”

Jack chuckled, enjoying the look of affront on Bunny’s face just a little bit too much. “You’re working too hard, Bunny,” he said. “Relax! What could be better than an Easter egg hunt and a snowball fight _on the same day_?”

“I don’t have time for this, Frost,” Bunny said, hiding an egg in a snow drift, so just the top of the red and blue shell was visible. “Some of us actually have people counting on us. I’ve still got three million eggs to hide!”

Jack scowled. Why did Bunny have to remind him about that _every time_ they met?

“Winter’s a pretty big deal, too,” Jack said, fighting to keep his demeanour pleasant, if only to annoy Bunny.

“Yeah, but nobody actually _wants_ it,” Bunny said, and hopped away.

Jack lost his temper.

 

~

 

Families woke up in the middle of the night to the wind suddenly increasing, the snow bearing down in drifts on their roofs. There was frantic activity as livestock were checked, loose doors and windows were secured, and then there was nothing, just light from windows.

The blizzard lasted nearly the whole way through the next day. When the children finally left the house, rugged up with anxious parents standing close, in case the weather turned again, the few eggs that weren’t irretrievably buried were found broken, already stolen by animals, pieces of bright eggshell sitting in the snow.

 

~ 

 

Bunny found Jack Frost sitting on a roof after everybody had gone back inside for the evening, away from the chill weather.

“Frost!”

“Oh, hey, Bunny.” He forced a cheerful smile onto his face.

“What the bloody … What was that about?”

“What can I say?” Jack asked, shrugging. “The weather doesn’t always permit in winter.”

Bunny looked at Jack like he would happily have strangled the Winter spirit. “You. Ruined. Easter.”

“There’ll be an Easter next year,” Jack said.

“What if some kid had gone out egg hunting in that?” Bunny demanded.

“Please,” Jack said. “The blizzard started in the middle of the night. Plenty of time to prepare. Nobody would have been out in it.”

Bunny stepped up and loomed over Jack, fists clenched so hard they trembled. “I lost believers today,” he said quietly. “Some poor kids out there lost hope in Easter. Because of you.”

“Gee, must be hard, not having everyone believe in you,” Jack said.

Bunny glared at him for a minute more, and then, with a disgusted grunt, hopped away.

Jack dangled his foot over the roof, sighed, and buried his head in his hands.


	29. A Burgess Afternoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Back to the actual plot!
> 
> I'm going to be away for a few days, so I won't be posting the next chapter until Saturday. I thought I'd at least get this one up before I go.

It was nowhere near winter, but Jack Frost dropped into Burgess anyway. He liked to drop by as often as he could, to visit Jamie and Sophie, and the rest of the kids who had helped them defeat Pitch Black. Jamie, in particular, as his first believer.

In the summer holidays, the kids were allowed to play over by the pond near town, which was just fine by Jack. He always stayed out of the water – even though he could avoid freezing anything else if he didn’t want to, ponds and lakes had always been a problem.

Sophie was counting to twenty next to the tree, and the rest were all hiding. Jack was “helping” Sophie, obediently hiding his eyes, and preparing to direct her in the exact opposite direction of any of the other kids.

After the third dead end, Sophie turned to him and tapped her foot angrily. He had to laugh. “What?”

“You’re tricking me, Jack Frost!” she said, with all her seven-year-old dignity.

“I told you, I thought I saw someone,” Jack said. “They’re just more cunning than me!”

There was a stifled snort from a tree nearby and Sophie whirled and ran after the sound, grabbing Claude from his hiding spot between two rocks. “I found you, I found you!”

A sudden flash of colour caught Jack’s eye.

“Northern lights,” he said to himself. “I’ve got to go. You can find the rest on your own, Soph’!”

“But why?” Sophie whined.

“Guardian business,” Jack told her, and took off into the sky.

There was always a bit of a thrill, even five years later, when the Guardians were summoned. Blame it on the long years of no contact, Jack supposed.

By the time he arrived at the Pole, the others were already there, gathered around the globe and muttering.

“Nobody’s been … tampering with the globe, have they?” Tooth asked. “Are we sure it’s now?”

“No, no map tinkering. It is now,” North said, nodding. “Ah! Jack! Good – everybody is here!”

“This is all very dramatic,” Jack deadpanned, spinning his staff as he wandered around the other side of the globe to look at what was going on. “What’s got you all … so …”

His voice trailed off as he stared at the spot on the globe. His eyes traced the little islands over and over, a configuration he knew from a long time ago.

“Jack?” Tooth asked tentatively. “Is something wrong?”

“Hey!” Bunny clapped near Jack’s ear. “Earth to Frost Boy!”

Jack was too busy imagining the layout of those islands from above, all the green and white laid out under him while he flew on the wind. There was the little one with the lake. There was the larger one with a very comfortable sleeping tree, and a wooden staircase leading down the cliffs. He didn’t wait. He couldn’t. He marked the spot in his mind, gripped his staff and ran to the nearest window.

“Oi!” Bunny shouted.

“Everyone come!” North bellowed. “I will get sleigh!”

And then Jack was gone out the window and couldn’t hear them anymore, urging the wind to take him faster and faster, until his eyes watered and he had to grit his teeth.

He didn’t dare think on the way over. If he thought, he could realise all the ways he could be wrong, and he couldn’t bear that just now.


	30. Berk Returns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually, I changed my mind. The previous chapter was so short, have two chapters for the extra day I'll be away for.
> 
> Fair warning: This one got long in a hurry.  
> See end for further notes.

Jack was over the islands now, and his heart was hammering. There they were, snow and green and rocky caverns, just as he remembered them from that first flight. The wind, understanding without him having to say anything, brought him down closer to the ground.

They had all stayed on the one island. Jack could see all the boats being prepared to cast off. He could see the figures of the burly Vikings loading supplies and cleaning hulls in preparation for exploring the world again. But they weren’t the Vikings he was looking for.

There!

Last time he had tried this, it hadn’t worked out like he wanted. But he’d had a lot of time to get to know the wind between then and now. The cackle the bubbled up out of his throat caught his target’s attention, and Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III turned around just in time to be barreled into by a slight frame in a blue hoodie.

The result was much more satisfying than the last time he’d tried. The force of Jack’s flight lifted Hiccup’s feet off the ground, and they flew a good foot backwards. Jack heard Hiccup grunt as they landed.

“Ow,” Hiccup said, but his (achingly familiar) deadpan told Jack that the other boy wasn’t really hurt.

Jack, however, was too excited either for words or to stay in one spot. He jumped up off Hiccup, spun, laughed, and jumped into a perfect backflip.

Hiccup stood up, with a wide grin over his face, and opened his mouth to say something, just in time for Jack to launch at him again, knocking them both flat for a second time. This time Jack stayed on top of Hiccup, arms wrapped securely around Hiccup’s shoulders, panting and laughing at the same time.

“Jack,” Hiccup groaned, resting an arm across Jack’s shoulders. “You’re worse than Toothless.”

“Toothless,” Jack breathed. “He can afford to lose you for the next fifteen minutes.”

Hiccup chuckled. “I get the feeling you missed me.”

Jack couldn’t find the words to adequately express the emotions he had felt – and by all the gods he could think of, there had been so many – so he settled for just catching his breath and trying to get the ones he was feeling now under control.

“It’s alright,” Hiccup said, giving Jack a quick squeeze. “Two years isn’t so long. We’ve got so much to catch up on, but …”

Jack interrupted him with an undignified choking noise, which he tried to turn into a chuckle. He looked up at Hiccup and wriggled one arm out from under the other boy so he could wipe his eyes. “Two … two years?” he asked. “Hic … try about five hundred.”

Hiccup’s (bright and green) eyes widened. “Five hundred? Jack, what do you mean, _five hundred_ …?”

“Not fair!” a throaty voice called from behind them. “How come Hiccup’s the only one who gets tackled by cute boys when we finally get here?”

Hiccup tipped his head back until he could see who was approaching. Jack let his head drop with a dull thud onto Hiccup’s chest.

“Ruffnut. Tuffnut.” Hiccup greeted the twins as casually as he could manage.

“You’d better have brought enough to share,” Tuffnut said.

“You don’t want a boy,” Ruffnut said dismissively.

“I might. What would make you more annoyed with me: a boy who’s cuter than yours, or a girl who’s cuter than you?”

“You’ll never have either.”

“Oooooo,” another voice drowned out the twin’s bickering. “Hiccup’s got a …” Snotlout pushed past the twins and squinted down at Hiccup and Jack. “Boyfriend?” He shrugged, then grinned. “You two look like you’re having fun down there.”

“So,” a female voice joined them, and this one Jack looked up for. She was standing right above them, looking directly down at Hiccup. “This is Jack Frost.”

“Guilty as charged,” Jack said, with a grin. “Hi, Astrid.”

Hiccup shifted under him and regretfully, Jack let him stand up and regain some of his dignity. Hiccup brushed himself off. “Everyone, Jack Frost. Jack Frost, uh … I think you know names already.”

“What’d I miss?” Fishlegs asked, arriving late.

“Nothing important,” Snotlout said. “Ruffnut and Tuffnut interrupted before it got really good.”

“Ew,” Astrid told Snotlout.

Hiccup tapped Jack on the shoulder. “Hey, Jack.”

“Yeah?”

Hiccup gripped him by the shoulders (Jack had forgotten how strong he was) and shuffled him a couple of steps over. “I’m gonna need you to stand there for a minute.” He stepped back.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Hic, what is this ab –”

Suddenly, the sky darkened, and Jack turned around just in time to see a huge black dragon with wide, green eyes and a gaping, toothless maw leap over the gathered Dragon Riders and directly onto him.

Jack went down with a cry of surprise as Toothless the Night Fury jumped onto him and began giving his face a comprehensive licking, much to everyone’s amusement.

His arms were pinned, so he couldn’t even shield himself from the dragon’s rough tongue. He pressed his eyes shut and tried to reason with the creature. “Toothless … it’s good to see you, too … but really … ow … You can … eurgh … you can stop. Toothless! Get off me!”

He heard Hiccup’s metal leg clanking as he walked over to them.

“Call him off!” Jack moaned through his laughter. “Urgh. Call him off! What is this?”

“Very entertaining,” Hiccup said, and scratched Toothless behind the ear flaps. “Good boy, Bud.”

Toothless finally seemed to decide Jack was appropriately greeted, jumped off the slender boy and went hopping around the pair of them, making gurgling noises.

Jack wiped his face off on his hoodie sleeve. “Yeah, I missed you, too, you ridiculous creature.”

Hiccup grinned at him, and Jack couldn’t help himself. He threw himself at Hiccup again, burying his face in Hiccup’s shoulder. “I missed you,” he whispered, just quiet enough that only Hiccup heard him.

“Uh,” Hiccup said, and Jack’s heart sank until he looked up and realised that Hiccup’s trepidation was not directed at him.

Between them and Hiccup’s friends, someone had appeared. Stoick and Gobber. Jack watched as Gobber looked between Hiccup and Jack, raising one eyebrow

“Um, Dad,” Hiccup said, awkwardly. “This … this is Jack Frost. Jack Frost, Stoick the Vast. My Dad.”

Jack looked up at them and wished he was just a little bit less emotional for this.

“Not really how you imagined meeting, I think,” Gobber said. Jack wasn’t sure if that was directed at him or Stoick.

Jack stepped forward, switched his staff to his left hand and held out his right. “Pleased to meet you?”

Stoick looked him up and down. Then, without warning, his face broke into a huge grin. He picked Jack up in a hug that lifted the boy all the way off the ground and laughed so loud Jack’s ears started to ring.

“Good to meet you!” he bellowed, setting Jack down again. “Well! You’ve been a bit of a mystery to us all for the past two years. But Toothless likes you, so you can’t be all bad. Welcome to Berk!” He put a hand on Jack’s shoulder and leaned down. “But I think we’d all appreciate it if you didn’t leave again for a little while.”

Hiccup walked up to them and put his hand on Jack’s shoulder. Jack snaked his hand around Hiccup’s waist, and pulled Hiccup close. He was never letting Hiccup go, ever again.

Jack recognized the noise of one of Bunny’s warrens opening behind them, and then the gigantic rabbit stepped out, panting. “Whew! Were you racing a jet plane here or somethi …” he stopped, as Jack and Hiccup both turned to him. “Ah, I get it now,” he said, folding his arms. “Trust you to flip out completely over getting a little nookie. All good, mate, don’t bother explaining or anything.”

“Completely flipped out?” Hiccup asked, one eyebrow raised.

“Let’s not,” Jack said.

“No, I want to hear this story.”

“Yeah, I bet you do,” Jack grumbled. “Just like everyone else on this damn island now.”

“Yeah, tell us more,” Tuffnut said.

North’s sleigh landed with a thud and a jingle, and North, Tooth and Sandy got out.

“Jack Frost!” North admonished. “It is not like you to run out like …” he stopped, and glanced at Tooth, eyebrows raised. Tooth put her hands to her mouth, her eyes shining with the kind of delight that made Jack dread the next conversation he was going to have with her.

“Jack,” North said. “Perhaps we now explain what is happening, hm?”

Above Sandy’s head, in dream sand, flashed a love heart and a question mark.

Jack, not letting go of Hiccup’s waist, gestured with his staff. “Uh, so, everyone, this is Hiccup, Hiccup’s Dad, Stoick the Vast, and Hiccup’s friends, Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Snotlout and Fishlegs.”

“Wrong way around,” Tuffnut said. “ _I’m_ Ruffnut.”

“No you’re not,” Jack said.

“How’d you know?” Ruffnut asked, devastated.

“Told you he was there,” Hiccup said with a triumphant grin.

“You _told_ them?” Jack asked. He headbutted Hiccup. So … was that why everyone could see him? Had Hiccup made Berk believe in Jack Frost? “Without me?”

Hiccup headbutted him right back on the top of the head, and Tooth squeaked with glee.

“Everyone,” Jack continued, “This is Nicholas St. North, Toothiana, Sanderson Mansnoozie, and E. Aster Bunnymund. Or, North, Tooth, Sandy and Bunny.”

“My Dad, Stoick,” Hiccup said. “Gobber. Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Snotlout, Fishlegs and Astrid.”

North stepped forward to Stoick. The two men, equal height and breadth, squared off against each other, then North thrust a hand out. Stoick took it, and North broke into a huge grin. “So! This is the island Jack told us nothing about.” He looked pointedly down at Jack.

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. Hiccup frowned at him, but Jack shook his head. _Not now_.

“And this is the boy that Hiccup wouldn’t tell _us_ anything about,” Stoick said.

“In that case, it is very good to meet you!” North wrapped Stoick in a huge hug, which the Viking, after a moment of surprise, laughed and returned.

Only Hiccup and Jack were close enough to hear their whispered exchange.

“Your boy vanishes again, and we will have words,” Stoick said.

“Your boy makes problem, we also have words,” North replied.

“Yes. Good talk.”

“Um,” Snotlout said. “That’s a giant rabbit.”

“And your name is Snotlout,” Bunny snapped back. “I’m not sure you’re the right one to be making comments, mate.”

Astrid snorted. Snotlout looked mightily offended, then relented and grinned.

Near half the town was gathered now, and Jack was starting to wish his entrance had been a little less dramatic. Now that the adrenaline had left him, he was starting to feel a little weak at the knees, leaning on Hiccup for support. Though the way they both swayed slightly, Jack wondered if Hiccup was feeling the same way. His fingers curled up in Hiccup’s cloak, and Hiccup wrapped his arm a little further around Jack’s waist, holding him a little closer.

Astrid walked over and knelt down in front of Sandy. “Sandman, huh?” she asked.

The little yellow man nodded with a bright smile, and a huge tick appeared above his head.

“I can get behind that,” Astrid said. “What does a Sandman do?”

Something flickered over Sandy’s head, too fast for Jack to follow. Astrid laughed. “So _that’s_ what the gunk in your eyes when you wake up is!”

Jack tried to wipe his eyes without the rest of the group seeing. Hiccup glanced down and gave him a quick squeeze, but thankfully said nothing.

Bunny tapped North on the shoulder, and stretched up to whisper something in the big man’s ear.

“Hm,” North said “I see point.” He turned to Stoick. “Why don’t you and Hiccup’s friends come have dinner with us? I have big place, is no trouble. We talk a bit about world nowadays, say welcome, yes?”

“Yes,” Stoick said. “I think we had better.”

“Brilliant!” North said, spreading his arms. “Well, then! Who wants ride in sleigh?”

“Oh, me!” Fishlegs said. “Me, I do!”

“Me first,” Ruffnut said, shoving Tuffnut out of the way.

“What do you mean, ‘first’?” Tuffnut asked, shoving right back. “Everyone’s going to get in the sleigh at the same time, dumbass.”

Jack chuckled. “Everyone loves the sleigh,” he said to Bunny, who rolled his eyes.

Tooth nodded to Sandy, who conjured a dream cloud, and Tooth lifted up on her wings. “We’ll see you there, North!” she said.

“No way I’m getting in that thing again,” Bunny said, stomped twice, and disappeared into a warren.

North ushered the group into the sleigh.

“Oops,” North said, in his least convincing innocent voice. “Is not quite room.”

“Hiccup, would you take Toothless this time?” Tooth asked. “If Jack doesn’t mind flying with you?”

North guffawed. “This is first time I have seen Jack with feet on ground in years! They will be fine.”

Stoick shared a glance with Hiccup and nodded. “Jack, you know the way?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “I’ll give directions.”

As the sleigh pulled away, Snotlout and the twins made a few obscene gestures at Hiccup and Jack.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, everyone in this fic is OK with Jack and Hiccup not being straight.  
> I mean ... I had more than enough angst fuel already.


	31. Flying Solves Everything, pt. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and Fluffy, just the way it should be.

Jack felt his knees wobble. Hiccup tightened his arm. “Don’t do that, you’ll pull me down with you.”

“Sorry.”

“Little help, Toothless?” Hiccup called, and the Night Fury bounded over, settling down. Hiccup pulled Jack up onto Toothless’s back, in front of him, and clicked his metal foot into place in Toothless’s saddle.

The Night Fury leapt straight into the air, and with a few powerful wing-strokes, they were underway.

Jack pressed his back up against Hiccup, who wrapped an arm around him, the other holding firmly onto the saddle.

“Five hundred years,” Hiccup whispered.

Jack nodded.

“I’m sort of glad you’re the immortal one, not the other way around,” Hiccup said. “It was bad enough after only two.”

Jack knew he was trying to make a joke, but the thought of Hiccup dying before they  met up again made his chest tighten, and he had to choke back a sob. Jack looked past Toothless’s huge wings. They were over the open ocean – coasting more than flying. He patted Toothless’s shoulder.

“So,” Hiccup said. “You never told them about Berk? And something about flipping out? That was the group you said you weren’t that close to when I saw you last, wasn’t it?”

Jack heard the grin in Hiccup’s voice and tried to match it, but he couldn’t manage it.

“I may have been a little put out with them for being the bearers of bad news, so I kind of never mentioned. As for the flipping out … I may or may not have run out of North’s house in a bit of a hurry, and probably with a very stupid expression on my face.”

Hiccup chuckled, the sound catching in his throat. “I can’t imagine I looked any more dignified when you came crashing into me.”

“So, you told everyone,” Jack said, trying to sound nonchalant.

Hiccup didn’t answer for a moment, then he said, “I was a bit of a mess for the first few months. Astrid kept bugging me about it. I had to tell _someone_. I think I counted and recounted everything in Berk at least six times. I may have actually tricked my Dad into thinking I was becoming a responsible Chief.”

“I get it,” Jack said.

Hiccup ran his fingers over Jack’s hoodie. “I like the blue,” he said finally. “It suits you.”

Jack put his hand over Hiccup’s. “Thank you. I’m … sorry I couldn’t be wearing the one you gave me.”

“What happened to it?”

“It lost its fur. The clasp … broke. I buried it.”

He heard Hiccup swallow hard. “You must have worn it for a long time, for it to get to that state.”

Jack nodded. There was silence for a while.

“Don’t you go getting all melancholy,” Jack said, more brightly than he felt.

“I’m allowed to be sympathetic.”

“I have a giant, armed rabbit on my side, and you have your Dad,” Jack said. “If we show up looking like we were last in line when the good news was handed out today, can you imagine the chaos?”

Hiccup was silent for a moment, then chuckled, a little reluctantly. “Besides, I think my Dad and North signed some sort of death pact if we ever so much as argue about whose turn it is to feed Toothless.”

“Exactly,” Jack said. Oh, they could go flying together! The three of them! He could take Hiccup everywhere now! They could go to parks! Museums! Cafés!

Jamie. Oh, he could just imagine…

He reached down and patted Toothless’s neck. “You know, I think I have a new friend for you to meet, Toothless,” he said.

“Oh?” Hiccup asked.

“Long story,” Jack said, “One of us is bound to tell it tonight. The basic gist is that I’m apparently a Guardian now, just like the others. That’s what the Man in the Moon wanted me for. It’s a bit protect-the-kids type gig, and we had a bit of an emergency a few years ago, which is when they got me on board. But Jamie’s about, oh … thirteen now? I think? And he’s all about dragons and trolls and Bigfoot and all that type of thing.”

Hiccup laughed. “Sounds like your kind of kid,” he said.

Toothless made a throaty noise.

“I’m sure you’d love him,” Jack told the dragon.

Jack settled back, resting his head on Hiccup’s shoulder, turned towards his neck.

_Just breathe,_ he told himself.

“You going to be alright?” Hiccup asked.

“Of course,” Jack said. “I’m just not sure I’m ever allowed to have that many emotions at once again.”

Hiccup shifted so he could kiss Jack’s forehead. “I think I see North’s workshop,” he said.

Jack opened one eye. There it was, on top of the hill, surrounded by snow, the windows lit and the sounds of his workshop audible even from this distance on the still air.

“That’s it,” Jack said, and sighed. “Company faces on, I guess.”

All of a sudden, Toothless pulled up and away from the workshop. There was a brief moment of confusion while Jack and Hiccup both grabbed for the saddle, and Hiccup shifted Toothless’s mechanical tailfin into the right spot.

“Guess we’re doing another lap around it first,” Hiccup said.

Jack grinned. “Good boy, Toothless,” he said.


	32. Dinner at the Workshop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, nobody should trust North's cookies. Ever.

Toothless landed outside North’s workshop, and the yetis let them in, leading Jack very pointedly away from the elevator shaft to the workshop proper.

“So little faith in me, Phil,” Jack said. “I thought we were friends.”

Phil grunted.

“ _Phil_?” Hiccup asked.

“He and I have a bit of a history,” Jack said.

North had had the dining hall cleared for the occasion, no little trinkets or knickknacks on the table, no sketches or drawings strewn across the floor. North had brought in just a few of the toys and presents he was making for Christmas that year, and was proudly showing off his flying ice sculptures.

Toothless lowered his head and wiggled his tail.

“Toothless,” Hiccup warned. “No.”

The yetis took the hint and started to lead Toothless away. Toothless growled.

“Fish,” Jack suggested. “Bribe him with fish.”

One of the yetis hurried away to oblige.

“Ah, they are here!” North said. “Come look at this.”

Jack tapped Hiccup with his staff.

“What?”

“Don’t eat the cookies,” Jack said, spotting the plates lining on the table and the elves scurrying out of the room. “I’ll tell you why later.”

Hiccup caught an ice train out of the air, turning it over and over in his hands. He gasped as its tiny ice wings popped out. “What … is this?”

“It’s called a train,” Jack said. “But they don’t usually have wings. That’s just North’s toy version.”

Hiccup picked it up and held it up to one eye, the other closed. “What does it do?”

“It’s a machine,” Tooth explained. “It takes humans long distances over land.”

“They don’t look like that anymore,” Jack said. “But the toys still do.”

Hiccup turned it around and examined the back end. “How does it work?”

Stoick burst into laughter. The others grinned.

“Never change, Hiccup,” Snotlout said.

Hiccup was too busy with the ice train to respond. Jack tried to subtly lean against him, pretending to examine the train with him, but one glance at North’s raised eyebrow and he stood straight again.

“But enough of toys. Please – have cookies!”

The others practically dived on the cookies, but Hiccup gave a polite shake of his head and set the train free to continue its aerial journey around the room.

“So, can you do the dramatic announcement again for Hiccup?” Tuffnut asked North.

North sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Hiccup, I have been told that you have spent two years in Man in Moon’s bubble.”

“But it’s been five hundred out here,” Hiccup said. “Sorry, Tuffnut, Jack already ruined that one for you.”

“Fpoilfport,” Ruffnut said, around a mouth full of something with green icing.

“We need to find a way to tell the village,” Stoick said.

“We’ll help if we can,” Tooth said. “But we will need to do it quickly. The rest of the world will find the island soon, and, well …”

“On bright side,” North said, popping a cookie into his mouth. “You will all be very famous!”

Jack twined his fingers into Hiccup’s and gave Hiccup’s hand a squeeze. “I bet it will be fun,” he said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

“We still need to make sure everyone’s prepared for that,” Hiccup said. “What can we expect?”

North sighed. “This will take long time,” he said. “I will go tell yetis to get dinner. Jack, come. We must talk.”

“What do you need me for?” Jack asked, ignoring the looks and gestures he and Hiccup were getting from the other Vikings.

“Talk,” North repeated. “Important talk. Leave boyfriend here for now. I am sure he will wait. Yetis can make sure nothing happens to him.”

Jack rolled his eyes. Snotlout sniggered, and Hiccup buried his face in his hands.

“I’ll go, too,” Tooth said, and joined them.

In the hallway outside, Jack tried to look at everything except North and Tooth.

“So,” North said. “What is this?”

“I would have thought you’d know your workshop by now,” Jack quipped.

Tooth sighed. “He means your boyfriend,” she said, in an excited whisper.

Jack chuckled. “It’s OK, Tooth. I knew what he meant.”

“Why did you not tell us?” North pressed. “Before, when we gave you orb?”

Jack shrugged. “I might have been a bit upset about the whole thing.”

“We might have been able to help,” Tooth said.

“How? He had to stay with Berk – he’s the chief’s son! And I … needed to bring Winter. What could you have done?”

It had come out with a little more force than he’d meant, and North and Tooth looked at each other.

“Well, we help now,” North said. “Either of you need anything, just come to us. Yes?”

Jack rubbed his eyes with one hand. “How embarrassing is this going to get?” he asked.

“Have faith!” North said. “We wouldn’t do that!”

Jack glanced at Tooth, and the glint in her eyes. “Oh, really?” he asked. She blushed and turned away.

North gave instructions – a very long list of them – to a passing yeti for dinner, and they turned to head back in.

“Jack,” Tooth said.

“Yeah?”

“You look really happy.”

Jack paused, then kept following them. He didn’t feel happy. He was feeling a lot of things, but he hadn’t really stopped to consider if any of them were ‘happy’.

 

~

 

Back in the dining hall, the cookies were nearly gone. Ruffnut and Tuffnut had devolved into some sort of argument that involved physical violence, Snotlout was attempting to hold a conversation with a yeti, and Stoick, Astrid and Hiccup were deep in conversation about the town. Sandy was contributing occasionally, with some translation help from Bunny.

“Dinner will be here soon,” North said.

“I think we’ve settled it,” Stoick said. “Hiccup will take his friends and explore the world now. In the meantime, tell us what we can expect when we are found, and we’ll deal with it as best we can from this end.”

“Clothes will be a problem,” Tooth said. “And language.”

“Clothes are easy,” North said with a wave of his hand. “We have yetis.”

“I could translate at first,” Jack said, mostly to himself. “Hm, but what excuse … we can say they’re exchange students or something.”

“Exchange students?” Hiccup asked.

Jack jumped. North and Tooth glanced at each other. “Students who go to another school for a while in a different country,” Jack explained, trying to act like nothing had happened. Sometimes he still forgot that he shouldn’t think out loud.

The Vikings glanced at one another. “School?”

Jack shared a glance with Sandy. This … was going to take a while.


	33. Night at the Workshop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*Fashion*~*

Dinner quickly turned into a very intense discussion of modern life. Hiccup pulled out his notebook early on, and barely had any time to pay attention to Jack because of his hurried note-taking. Jack glanced over his shoulder, but couldn’t read Hiccup’s writing at all. The runes usually gave him no trouble, but Hiccup seemed to be writing some sort of gibberish.

Then, the yetis brought in a huge stack of photographs and magazines, and Jack chuckled as the Vikings searched through them, reactions slowly turning from curiosity to excitement and, occasionally, sheer disbelief.

“What … is that?”

Jack peered over Ruffnut’s shoulder. “That’s a shirt.”

“Yeah, but is it for a human?”

“Most of those are just decorative.”

Tuffnut and Snotlout looked over at the picture. Snotlout snorted. “Why would anyone deliberately make clothes with that many holes in them?”

“Whoa,” Hiccup said, holding up a picture of a pair of cargo pants.

Jack looked over. “They’d look good on you,” he said.

“That’s a lot of pockets.”

Phil bent over Hiccup and made a few grunts and hand motions.

Hiccup glanced over at Jack. “What is he saying?”

Jack grinned. “I think he’s saying he can make the pockets bigger, if you want.”

Hiccup looked up at Phil, then back at Jack. “I think he and I are going to get along just fine.”

 

~

 

A few mishaps with measuring tape later, North offered spare rooms for everyone to sleep in. Astrid and Ruffnut got their own room, as did Stoick. The boys were set up with blankets and pillows and huge mattresses in one of the workshop rooms (conveniently cleaned out before they arrived).

“You know what we should do,” Snotlout said.

“What’s that?” Fishlegs asked.

“Once everyone’s asleep, we should try and sneak into the workshop!” Snotlout said. “Hiccup, I bet there’s heaps of stuff down there you’d like!”

“I wouldn’t,” Jack warned.

“Worried about your boyfriend?” Snotlout teased.

“Not particularly,” Jack said. “You won’t get in, is all.”

“We’re Vikings!” Tuffnut said. “We can do _anything_.”

Jack shrugged. “Alright, but you won’t get past the yetis. Believe me, I’ve tried. Watch out for Phil – you don’t want to be on his bad side.”

Tuffnut and Snotlout exchanged a glance.

“There has to be _some_ way in,” Snotlout said.

“Have fun,” Hiccup told them. “Don’t get yourselves thrown out.”

“Tell the yetis to take pictures for us,” Jack said.

Outside the window, there was a bright orange glow. Jack dashed over and hoisted himself up onto the huge sill.

The others came and joined him. Jack knew without looking that Hiccup was standing right behind him. He’d been aware of exactly where Hiccup was ever since flying to Berk that afternoon.

Streaks of orange sand curled through the sky, heading in all directions.

“Right on time, Sandy,” Jack murmured.

“What is that?” Tuffnut asked.

“Dream sand,” Jack said. “Must be time for people to go to sleep somewhere.”

“Why is that beautiful but also really creepy?” Tuffnut asked.

“It’s not _that_ creepy,” Jack said. “It’s just dreams.”

As they watched, he reached back and grabbed Hiccup’s arm, wrapping it around his waist. To his surprise, none of the others commented.

“Everything alright, Jack?” Hiccup asked.

“You can either hug me or not stand that close,” Jack said. “Only two options.”

Hiccup chuckled. “I see,” he said, shifting a little closer and wrapping his other arm around Jack’s waist.

Tuffnut shook his head slowly. “You two disgust me.”

The dream sand faded from the sky and the small group went back to getting ready for bed. Jack curled up with Hiccup.

“You still smell like dragons,” Jack said.

“Yeah, well, get your cold feet off mine and then we’ll talk.”

A pillow hit both of them squarely across their heads. “I swear by Thor,” Snotlout said, “If you two don’t shut up …”

“You know when you said you wished I could talk to everyone?” Jack asked flippantly, leaning over Hiccup to shove Snotlout’s pillow behind their bed so he couldn't get it back.

“Yeah?”

“You were right. Having things thrown at us is _definitely_ what this relationship needed.” He tried to say it casually, to gauge Hiccup’s reaction. Was this … could they call this a relationship? Their eyes met for a moment, and Hiccup smiled broadly.

Jack couldn’t help smiling back. Apparently they could. It was official, and it had words. They were in a relationship. Hiccup was his boyfriend. Jack leaned down and kissed him. Hiccup stiffened for a moment, surprised, then kissed back. He grabbed Jack’s hips and pulled Jack down. Jack dropped onto his elbows and pressed his chest against Hiccup’s.

“Odin help us. Go find your own room! Are you going to give my pillow back?” Snotlout demanded.

“Nope,” Jack said, mostly into Hiccup’s mouth.

“Consider it a peace offering,” Hiccup said. _Trust Hiccup to stop a good kiss just to sass someone_ , Jack thought.

“Just take one of theirs,” Tuffnut said. “They're only going to use the one.”

Once the pillows were (forcibly) redistributed, they settled in for the night.

Some hours later, Jack was woken by two yetis dumping Snotlout and Tuffnut back into the room, and locking the door behind them.

“Told you,” he said.

“They move so _fast_ ,” Tuffnut muttered, pulling his boots off and yanking the covers off his mattress.

Hiccup made a noise in his sleep and shifted a bit. Since the other two seemed happy enough to go to sleep, Jack rolled over and snuggled closer to Hiccup, arm around his chest, careful not to press his cold face into any of Hiccup’s exposed skin.

 

~

 

He was woken again, some time later, by a click and a flash of light.

“Did you get it?” Bunny was asking.

“Give me a minute, give me a minute!” Tooth said. A few softer clicks. “There!”

“I want it framed,” Bunny said.

“I will pay you money,” Jack said, voice muffled by Hiccup’s shirt, “not to do that.”

“Mate, even if you had any, what would we do with money? So, Tooth, hang it in North’s entrance hall? What do you reckon?”

“Jack,” Hiccup said, groggily. “What just happened?”

“They have a camera,” Jack said.

Hiccup rubbed his eyes. “That’s nice,” he said. “Which one’s a camera, again?”

“The one that makes pictures of things,” Jack said. “You know, like those pictures in the magazines yesterday, of people wearing clothes?”

“Oh,” Hiccup said. Then, a moment later, “What did they just make a picture of?”

“It’s the sweetest thing,” Tooth gushed. “Here, here!” She shoved the camera at Hiccup, who half sat up to look at the display.

Hiccup stared at it for a moment, then said, “I do not look like that when I sleep.”

“We have a saying nowadays,” Bunny said. “The camera doesn’t lie.”

North loomed over Tooth to look at the picture. He looked up and grinned amiably. “Is good picture of you, Jack. Come! We must get back to Berk so that we can put plan in motion! Yetis work all night – do not forget to take clothes when you go!”

Tuffnut groaned from the mattress. “Why are you all so loud?”

As North hustled them out of the room for breakfast, he pulled Jack back and shoved a few notes into his hand. “When you get chance, you take Hiccup boy out for treat, hm? My shout.”

He patted Jack on the back.

“Wait, where does Santa Claus get _money_?” Jack asked.

“Always some children nowadays want money for Christmas. We make here!”

Jack decided not to think too hard about that. He shoved the cash into his pocket and tapped North on the shoulder.

“Hey,” he said. “There’s something I want to get for Hiccup, but I need a bit of help.”

North nodded. “What is it?”

Jack told him. North laughed. “Easy! Is piece of pie! You tell yetis exactly what you need, we will make it. Oh, and Jack.”

“What?”

North tossed him a little digital camera. “Take photo, yes?”

Jack turned it on and started looking for the photo of him and Hiccup sleeping.

“Different camera,” North said, with a wink. “What, you think we let you get out of that so easy?”

Jack shoved the camera into his pocket with the money. “Guess not,” he said, and hurried to catch up with the others.


	34. Back to Berk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you thought I was ever going to stop writing Jack interacting with children, then you were very wrong, my friends, because it is adorable and I'm never getting tired of it.

Jack stood a half a step behind Hiccup, turned away towards the rest of the Dragon Riders and pretending not to be listening to the argument going on behind him.

“Dad, you can’t just _throw_ me into this!” Hiccup was saying.

“Son, as a Chief, you’ll be thrown into all sorts of situations that you weren’t prepared for. You’ll be fine! Think how well you did organizing everything when we first broke that orb, eh?” He slapped Hiccup on the shoulder.

Hiccup ran a hand through his hair. “What am I going to tell them?”

“Just explain the situation, calmly and clearly. And tell them there’s going to be a great battle. Vikings love great battles.” Stoick clapped his son on the shoulder and started to walk away to the area where all the Vikings were gathered.

“But there might not be a …” Hiccup threw his hands up in the air. “The conversation wasn’t over, Dad,” he said. Stoick didn’t seem to hear him.

Jack put his hand on Hiccup’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine,” he said. “Really.”

“Yeah,” Snotlout said. “You’re good with words and stuff. Just do what you usually do, but don’t be sarcastic.”

Hiccup snorted. “But if I’m not sarcastic, how will people recognise me?”

“See, like that,” Ruffnut said. “Don’t do that.”

“Yeah, just use yourself as a ‘how not to’ example,” Tuffnut said.

“Thanks,” Hiccup said. He took a deep breath and headed over to his father.

Stoick waved his arms and the crowed quietened down. “Vikings of Berk, my son has something to say!” Stoick announced.

Jack kept his hand resting between Hiccup’s shoulder blades, standing just behind Hiccup so that the crowd couldn’t see. Everyone was focused on Hiccup now, and Jack pressed his hand a little firmer into Hiccup’s back. The sensation of being watched gave him a creeping feeling up the back of his neck that he still wasn’t used to – a different sensation entirely to simply being _seen_ – and Jack was just glad that Hiccup had most of the crowd’s attention for now.

“Uh,” Hiccup said. “Hi.”

Stoick elbowed him.

“Before we left,” Hiccup started again. “I told everyone that there was a purpose for us coming here. Well, here we are and …” he paused and whispered “oh, boy,” quietly enough that the crowd couldn’t hear him. “And now we need to figure out what to do. For now, it would be, uh, really great if everyone could try to continue just as if nothing unusual was happening. I know there’s going to be a whole lot of new things happening, but it’s very important that we try to take everything in stride. Um.”

Stoick elbowed Hiccup again.

Hiccup stepped aside, and to Jack’s horror, pulled Jack forward to present him to the crowd.

“This is Jack Frost. He, uh, he’s going to be staying with us, to help through the transition. We are five hundred years into the future, and … a whole lot of stuff has changed. So, if you have any questions, ask Jack. But, uh, just make sure he does get some rest, alright?”

A chuckle went through the crowd, and Jack tried his very best to grin along, knowing it came out looking more than a little desperate. Was it … could he step back now? Were they done with him?

“We still have the problem of the Nuckelavee and Agnes to deal with,” Hiccup said. “So, uh. Hold out hope for that great battle, I guess? We’ll let you all know as soon as … uh …”

“Alright!” Stoick said, interrupting smoothly. “We’ll be sending out patrols soon, so everyone get ready. Tend to your dragons. Start fishing, let the sheep back out into the paddocks! I want full tallies of stockpiled food and livestock.”

“I’ve got those already,” Hiccup muttered.

“Shh,” Stoick said. “And then I want dragon flying shifts. Let them stretch their wings, get back into practice. But I want it all over the island, and not too high. No long flights just yet. Gobber and I will be in the forge, come to us with any weapons, saddles, anything that needs a fix and a polish. Got it?”

The crowd nodded.

“Good! Everyone get to work!”

“I know you kept the records,” Stoick explained to Hiccup as the crowd dispersed. “But the village needs something to do to keep them busy while we work things out.”

He put a hand on Hiccup’s shoulder, then hesitated. “Good effort,” he said, patted Hiccup’s shoulder once, and turned away, scanning the square for Gobber.

Hiccup ran a hand through his hair and looked out over the village.

Jack snuck his hand into Hiccup’s. “So, I notice you didn’t mention the whole ‘spirit of winter’ thing,” he said.

“I figured this was enough,” Hiccup said. “Besides, there were a couple of other things I didn’t mention, either.”

Stoick paused, glanced at them, then walked away with exaggerated innocence.

Jack chuckled, and Hiccup had to smile at that look of the good humour returning to his face.

Jack glanced at Hiccup, then away again. “What?”

“I don’t think I’ve seen you really laugh since we got back,” Hiccup said. “And you haven’t smiled much. Before, I don’t think I ever saw you stop.”

“What are you talking about?” Jack asked. “Remember all those tense conversations we had back when we were both still being idiots? Remember when your dragon brought me to your door?”

Hiccup had to stop and think about that. “I guess I do,” he said. “But still, every time I picture your face, you’re smiling”

Jack put his head in his hands. “Hiccup, you are the biggest dork I have ever met.”

A small child, young enough to be entirely oblivious to the conversation going on above his head, tugged on Jack’s hoodie. “Jack?”

Jack turned and squatted down. “Yeah? What’s up?”

“I heard you say you’re a winter spirit. What’s that?”

Jack conjured a snowball. “I make the snow happen,” he said.

The kid reached for the snowball, then hesitated. Jack held it out, and the kid took it.

“See?” Jack said. He looked up. “Oh, hey,” he said. pointing to the few snowflakes drifting down between them. “Snowing.”

The kid screamed, and dropped the snowball as he ran away.

Jack stood up, laughing to himself, and wrapped an arm around Hiccup’s waist. Hiccup put his hand over Jack’s, and chuckled as the child disappeared around a corner.

“Aaaand that’s going to be all over the town in five minutes,” Hiccup said. “Wait, it’s the middle of summer. Isn’t snow going to cause … problems?”

“One day won’t hurt anything,” Jack said. “And our relationship is going to be all over the town once your friends open their mouths. We could take bets on which one’s going to cause more of a stir, if you like.”

Hiccup rolled his eyes. Oh, joy. He remembered the trial it had been when the town found out about his last relationship. “Don’t remind me.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Should I be worried?”

“Yes. Very. Always.”

Jack took Hiccup by the back of the neck and kissed him. “Well, I’ll fully prepare my worrying face, then.”

“I’ll, um,” Hiccup said.

“Oh, don’t you get all starstruck on me,” Jack said. “You’ve only been waiting _two_ years for that.”

Jack meant it as a joke, he could tell. He could tell there was no bitterness in Jack’s voice, or in his face, or in his little chuckle. But he could only bring himself to smile weakly. It felt like a punch to the gut.

Jack sighed. “Sorry. Too soon?”

“No, it’s fine. I’m totally comfortable with the fact that I just abandoned you for five hundred years, I’m one hundred percent caught up and OK with that information.”

Jack shoved him. “I definitely didn’t forget that sarcasm.”

“Everybody tries, nobody ever does,” Hiccup said, with a quick grin.

“Heads up,” Jack said, “Incoming.”

Hiccup whirled, expecting Toothless or maybe the twins with some mischief in mind, but instead he got children shyly emerging from behind houses.

Jack stepped past him. “News spreads fast, huh?” he said to them. “Look, I know the snow’s a little light right now. It’s a bit harder to make good snow in summer.” He twirled his staff and made a little drift. “But come winter, I’m going to make sure Berk has the best snowfall ever, OK?”

A little cheer went up from the kids.

“But we can still play other games in summer, right?” Jack asked.

“Yeah!”

“Great! What are we playing?”

Hiccup folded his arms and leaned back. Watching Jack with kids was like a work of art. No arguments, no name-calling. Just fun. They’d decided on a game within a minute, and Jack was dragged off within two.

Hiccup shook his head. Now – he had a few things to organise before the first scouting mission.


	35. By the Lake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, before I wrote this fic I seriously wondered why this fandom whumps on Jack so much.  
> And yet, here we are, and I can’t stop. Help him.

Before Hiccup could get to do any organizing, however, the other dragon riders found him.

“What’s up?” Hiccup asked. “I need to organize a few things before we go scouting, so if you want to help …”

“Wait,” Snotlout said. “First we have to show you something. Have you had a chance to go through your new clothes yet?”

Hiccup shook his head.

“Oh,” Snotlout said, and winked at Jack, who had extricated himself from the kids and wandered back over to join them. “This is going to be good.”

They dragged Hiccup back to his hut and forced him to go through the parcel North had sent with him.

The pants, as promised, had pockets that could have substituted for a small backpack. The shirts were plain tees, in a few different colours and styles.

“No,” Snotlout said, throwing all Hiccup’s neatly folded clothes over his bed. “These!” He held out a pair of shorts made of a much different material to the others, stiffer, which crinkled.

Jack snorted.

“We didn’t get them,” Astrid said. “We got … these.” She held up a couple of garments – a short crop top, pinched at the front, and a pair of shorts, both in a stretchy fabric.

Jack couldn’t help it. The utter confusion on their faces was hilarious.

“You going to explain?” Astrid asked coldly.

“You’ll need to give him a moment,” Hiccup said. “I don’t think he has any breath for talking right now.”

“Swimsuits,” Jack said finally, wiping his eyes. “It’s special clothing to go swimming in.”

More confused glances between them. “You need special clothes for that?” Tuffnut asked.

“Want to go test them out?” Jack said.

“Jack, we have to …” Hiccup’s protest died as he saw the expressions of eager curiosity on the other Vikings’ faces. Even Astrid was examining her swimmers a little closer. “We’re going whether I want to or not, aren’t we?”

“Yup, you’re outvoted,” said Ruffnut.

“Do you have any?” Snotlout asked Jack.

“Nah,” Jack said, waving a hand. “Swimming and I don’t mix.” He nudged Hiccup. “That lake, yeah? Come on, think of it as a warm-up.”

Hiccup sighed. “Yeah,” he said. “Let’s just go.”

 

~

 

“I think even the dragons are laughing at me,” Astrid said, looking down at the tiny swimsuit. “What is this supposed to do?”

“Um, look amazing?” Ruffnut said, turning to try and get a better look at her legs in the tiny shorts. “You look great, unlike whatever those dorky pants are.” She waved a hand at Hiccup.

“Thanks, Ruffnut. I appreciate it,” Hiccup said, sitting by the lake in board shorts, taking his foot off. Tuffnut, Snotlout and Fishlegs were already in the water.

“You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, Astrid,” Snotlout assured her. “You look perfect. Um. Not that you don’t always look perfect…”

Astrid rolled her eyes.

Jack chuckled. He was still in his hoodie, and leaned on his staff.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come in?” Astrid asked, with a little evil tinge to her voice.

“No, thanks,” Jack said. “Like I said, swimming and I don’t mix.”

“That’s a shame,” Astrid said, and she and Ruffnut gave him a shove that sent him toppling towards the water with no time to react.

As his hand touched the water, ice spread. The three boys in the water yelped – Jack guessed from the sudden temperature change – and ran for the edge. His arm, not at an angle that gave much purchase on the ice, shot out from under him and he landed on his other arm and his face at the same time. His shoulder twinged, and he felt liquid on his top lip.

He pulled himself up on his knees, doubled over, coughing. His shoulder was just jarred, but the wind had been knocked out of him and he could see red dripping from his nose onto the ice.

“Jack! Oh, Odin, I’m so sorry,” he heard Astrid gasp, as Hiccup yelled “Jack!” and something heavy hit the ice. Jack felt the impact shake the ice under him

No. Oh, no, no, no.

Hiccup was next to him in a second, timidly touching his shoulders. “Jack! Jack, are you hurt?”

“Get off the ice,” Jack told him, trying to push Hiccup’s hand away, voice muffled by his hand. “It’s not thick enough.”

“Just tell me if you’re …”

There was a sharp crack, and Jack stopped thinking.

 

~

 

He and Hiccup were on the bank. He was lying over Hiccup, staff still clutched in his hand. His shoulder throbbed, and he was dripping blood all over Hiccup’s shirt.

“I’m so sorry,” Astrid was saying. She and Ruffnut were sitting next to them, with Tuffnut, Fishlegs and Snotlout watching from near Hiccup’s feet.

Ruffnut said, “We didn’t know you’d … that would happen.”

Jack groaned and shifted to the side. Raising one (shaking, he realised) hand to his face, he tried to wipe away some of the blood. He spat red onto the grass.

“I think, if you want to swim in that lake,” he said, “You might need some help from your dragons.”

Astrid sighed and sat back. “Thor’s hammer, you and Hiccup are alike. Glad to know you’re going to be fine. Hiccup?”

“I’m alright,” Hiccup said. “The world got very startling for a moment there.”

“I’m going to get Hookfang to heat up the lake,” Snotlout said.

“Barf and Belch will help,” Tuffnut said.

“You moron, they’ll blow all the water out of the lake!” Ruffnut said, getting up and running over to stop him.

“Meatlug will help, too,” Fishlegs said.

“Go on, Astrid,” Hiccup said. “You’ll need all the dragons, I think.”

“It’s just a small lake, we won’t …” there was a significant pause, then Astrid said, “Call if you need anything.”

Hiccup sat up and Jack spat blood onto the grass again.

Hiccup groaned. “You’re doing it all wrong. Come here.” He pulled Jack onto his lap and pinched the bridge of Jack’s nose, tilting Jack’s head back so it rested on his shoulder. Jack let Hiccup arrange him into the right position and sat there, leaning on Hiccup’s (bare) chest, wrapped up in Hiccup’s free arm and legs.

“Hold up,” Hiccup said. “This will be easier if …” He switched arms and bumped Jack’s shoulder. Jack hissed.

Hiccup froze. “What did I touch?”

Jack used his good arm to gesture. “Not bad,” he said. “Just jarred.”

“Alright.” Hiccup pinched Jack’s nose again and said, “So much for our relaxing afternoon, eh?”

A few coughing noises and a cheer told Jack that the Vikings had managed to get the lake back to a reasonable temperature for swimming. The following splashes confirmed the theory.

“What’s the damage?” Snotlout called over to them.

“Just the nose,” Hiccup called back. “Nothing that won’t clear up in time for me to show you how a real Viking goes swimming.”

“Ooooh,” Tuffnut said. “Scary!”

Jack relaxed back into Hiccup, breathing through his mouth and swallowing occasionally. It was nice to be this close. If only he could keep Hiccup sitting there for hours. But he should let Hiccup get back to his friends.

“You can go,” Jack said reluctantly. “I think I’ve got it from here.”

“Hush. I’m not leaving till you stop shaking,” Hiccup told him. “You know we’re Vikings. You should know that the phrase “Me and swimming don’t mix” isn’t quite literal enough for us.”

“It was one hundred percent literal,” Jack said. “You seem to know what you’re doing.”

“Spent my childhood as Berk’s least favourite Viking, and then started jumping off dragons for fun? I’ve seen a few blood noses in my time.”

Jack chuckled, trying not to move too much. He flexed his fingers experimentally. His shoulder didn’t hurt much, which was a good sign, but his fingers were sore. He must have been gripping the staff pretty hard.

“So, just for future reference, does that happen with all water?” Hiccup asked.

“Everything except rain,” Jack confirmed.

“Spirit of Winter thing?”

Jack hesitated. “Not quite. Tell you later.”

There was a long pause, then Hiccup shifted, carefully avoiding Jack’s injured shoulder. He took his hand slowly away from Jack’s nose. “Still bleeding?” he asked.

Jack waited a moment. “I don’t think so,” he said. “But I can’t really tell.”

“I’m not surprised. Your face is a mess. You’re going to have at least one amazing black eye, by the way.”

Jack grinned, and Hiccup shuddered. “Don’t do that. You look horrific. And you might need to borrow one of my cloaks … I think that one’s done for.”

Jack chuckled, and tried to sniff through a still-blocked nose. “Got something I can clean myself up with? A cloth or something?”

Hiccup fetched him one, and Jack made his way down to the lake. He dipped the cloth in, not touching the lake with his hands, and started to soak off the dried blood.

“Get any scars?” Tuffnut asked.

“No,” Jack said. “Just a few bruises.”

Snotlout tsked. “Astrid, you didn’t manage to make him a real Viking!”

“Yeah,” Tuffnut added. “Try harder next time!”

“Or don’t,” Jack said, dipping the cloth back in the water, and looking down to inspect his hoodie. Damn. He’d really liked this one.

Hiccup dived into the water, splashing him.

Jack wiped the water off his sleeve. “Oh, I see. I still need to get wet, huh?”

Hiccup grinned, paddled up to Snotlout and out his hands on the other boy’s neck. Snotlout screeched.

“Thanks for the help,” Hiccup said as he tried to escape, floundering backwards.

Snotlout gave up, putting his hands on his neck. “How did your hands get so cold?”

“Hi,” Jack said. “Spirit of Winter, staying out of your nice warm lake.”

Snotlout walked over and put a hand on Jack’s wrist. He twitched, and pulled it back. Jack started to tell him that his reaction was fair when Snotlout reached up and placed a dripping wet hand over Jack’s face.

Jack spluttered. Some of the water turned to ice and pattered to the grass.

“Yup, he’s cold all over!” Snotlout yelled and splashed backwards away from the bank.

“I am disgusted with all of you!” Jack declared, and stalked away from the lake, wiping his face on his sleeve, but unable to hide his grin. Hiccup and Sophie were so far the only other humans to ever touch his skin and then choose to do it again, and Sophie was getting old enough to care about the cold now. He even had to make sure he picked Jamie up by his clothes, or the boy complained.

Hiccup took a moment out of ducking Snotlout under the water to exchange a grin with Jack that said he knew what had just gone through Jack’s mind.

Toothless nudged him in the back.

“Ow, Toothless,” Jack said, and turned to scratch behind the dragon’s ear flaps. “Yes, I know we’re leaving you out.”

He curled up with the dragon and occasionally shouted encouragement at the steadily escalating fight in the lake.


	36. Helicopter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup is dense and easily embarrassed.

Hiccup checked off his tasks in his notebook. He had talked to Gobber about his things in the forge, found his friends and discussed when they’d be leaving and for how long, alerted his father, and organized his new clothes in the chest so they could be easily accessed.

Jack, apparently, had spent the time being buried up to his neck by the village children.

The dirt by his side wiggled.

“Oops, a finger got free!” he said. “Better cover that up!”

The offending finger immediately had dirt dumped all over it.

“Oh, hey Hiccup,” Jack said. “I’d wave, but these kids are pretty good at burying people.”

Hiccup sighed. “Come on, dig him up.”

“Awwww!” Jack joined in the chorus of kids.

“See? He loves it!”

Toothless bounded over to Hiccup and made a noise of distress. Hiccup put his hand on Toothless’s nose. “What is it, Bud?”

Jack looked up. “I hear it,” he said. “That’s a helicopter.” He unburied an arm and held it up to Hiccup. “Little help?”

Hiccup pulled him to his feet. Jack’s fingers twined with Hiccup’s and he edged closer until Jack was nearly leaning on Hiccup. Hiccup gave Jack’ s hand a squeeze. Was Jack … nervous?

The noise was becoming louder now – a great, thrumming noise that startled the dragons and sent the Vikings running to calm their mounts and tether them to the ground.

Jack pointed, and Hiccup followed his finger to the black dot coming closer and closer through the sky. Hiccup gaped. It was an odd shape – something more like a fish than a bird – bulbous at one end. The harsh thrumming noise seemed to be made by something huge spinning above it (was that how it was staying in the air?), but from this distance, Hiccup couldn’t tell what was going on.

The thing continued overhead, getting lower and clearer. The noise got louder, and Hiccup shouted to Jack, “I need my notebook to draw this!”

Jack grinned. His hoodie was full of dirt, as was his hair. Hiccup tried to brush some of it off – just the obvious parts out of the hood and the back of his head.

“Thanks, mum,” Jack said.

“We’re going to have people visiting Berk for the first time in hundreds of years,” Hiccup pointed out, “And you’re the only person who probably speaks their language. And the first thing you do is get yourself buried in … unless you’ve changed in five hundred years, your only set of clothes. Am I right?”

Jack shrugged. “Worth it.”

The helicopter circled above them, then flew away.

Hiccup looked over at Jack, who shrugged. “I think they just realised there are people here,” Jack said.

 

~ 

 

After Jack had gotten most of the dirt out of his clothes, he and Hiccup went back to the hut.

Sitting on Hiccup’s bed was a small package wrapped in a blue-silver paper with snowflakes on it. It was tied with ribbon and a bow nearly bigger than the package itself, and had a tag on it that read “From Jack”. Jack grinned. So the yetis had made it. He wondered whether North had anything to do with the themed wrapping.

Hiccup looked up at Jack and raised an eyebrow.

“I, uh, called in a favour,” Jack said. “Hope you like it.”

Hiccup carefully slid the bow and tag off the present, and turned it over.

Jack scooted over and rested his chin on Hiccup’s shoulder, pointing to the present. “You can just take the tape off,” he explained, pointing.

Hiccup picked at the corner of the tape and pulled it off, taking the colour off the wrapping paper with it. He pinched the tape, feeling the stickiness a few times, and carefully set it aside.

“If I’d known you were going to be that fascinated, I’d have just asked North for a roll of sticky tape,” Jack quipped.

Hiccup gave him a quick grin. “Sorry,” he said. “Everything’s just … a little new at the moment.”

He pulled the package apart tape strip by tape strip, and then unfolded it.

It was everything Jack had asked for – a new notebook, with plenty of good, heavy pages (for sketching as well as writing), spiral bound with a protective sleeve (for the weather) and a holder for both a new ballpoint pen and a sharpened pencil.

Hiccup turned it over and over in his hands, removed the pencil and tested the edge, and then examined the ballpoint pen.

“There’s no tip,” he said.

Jack reached under Hiccup’s arm, took it off him and twisted the base until the point popped up.

“Oh,” Hiccup said.

“It’s so the ink inside doesn’t dry out so easily,” Jack explained. “And it works for longer. It’s refillable, too. Let me know if you run out so I can get you the right ink for it.”

Jack chuckled as Hiccup twisted the pen tip up and down, up and down a few times, then opened the book and ran his hands over the paper.

“This is paper?”

“That’s _very good_ paper,” Jack corrected. “It comes a lot thinner, but I thought since you draw so much, you might need something a bit more suited to that.”

Hiccup turned the first page, examining how it moved through the plastic spiral. “No need to crease the pages,” he said.

“I don’t know much about notebooks, so I let North decide on the binding,” Jack said.

Hiccup sat down with the first page open and Jack got comfortable against him while Hiccup sketched two versions of the helicopter, the first with the pencil and the second with the ballpoint pen. Jack was sincerely impressed – from the sketches, he would have sworn Hiccup had seen a helicopter before. They were detailed, and both sketches were nearly exactly the same.

“You’re really good,” Jack said.

Hiccup didn’t respond. Jack assumed he was concentrating on the drawing.

When he was done, he carefully slotted the pen and pencil back into the holders, and closed and clasped the notebook.

“Thank you,” he said.

“I never paid you back for the cloak,” Jack said.

They were both silent for a moment, until Jack couldn’t stand it anymore. He’d had more than enough of awkward silences and feeling sorry for themselves and each other. He swung himself around on the bed until he was sitting on Hiccup’s outstretched legs, facing him. “Hiccup,” he said. “Let’s go.”

“Go?  Go where?”

Jack shrugged. “Let’s go meet a friend of mine. Bring Toothless.”

Hiccup groaned and leaned back. “Jack, I need to be here, for when people come.”

“You’re part of the scouting party,” Jack said. “Think of it as reconnaissance. Being here is someone else’s job, remember?”

“If it’s scouting, shouldn’t we bring the others, then?”

Alright, he’d give this one more shot before he started getting blunt. “What, this late at night? Look, we’ll leave now, we’ll be back long before dawn – nobody will miss us, and you won’t have missed anything important, either.”

“What could we possibly be scouting this late at night?”

Jack just gave Hiccup a very long look. “Hiccup. You gorgeous, talented, intelligent, dense Viking. I am taking you on a date. So go get Toothless, and let’s go flying.”

Finally, realization dawned. “Oh!”

Jack jumped off and Hiccup stood up.

“I’ll just, uh … go … Toothless. Yup.”

“You do that,” Jack called after him as the door closed.


	37. New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because there was absolutely no way I was getting through this fic without introducing Jamie and Sophie to Toothless.  
> And there’s apparently no way I can get through a cute scene without adding a n g s t, so I’m … very nearly but not quite sorry.

“Fly a bit closer,” Hiccup told Jack. “Toothless is getting extra wind under one wing.”

“Sorry.” Jack rolled over in front of Toothless, reclining on the breeze with one hand under his head. “Better?”

Toothless _gronked_ happily and made a small lunge to gum Jack’s foot. Jack evaded, pulling his foot out of the way.

Hiccup watched Jack, with an odd expression on his face. Jack frowned. “Hiccup? Something wrong?”

“No,” Hiccup said, running a hand through his fringe. “It’s nothing.”

Jack did a lazy flip through the air and landed lightly on Toothless’s back just in front of the saddle. “Talk to me, Hic,” he said.

Hiccup looked away. “You just … you’re really good at flying now.”

Jack felt a lump in his throat, but he tried to joke it away. “What, you miss being able to make fun of me?”

“I missed being there to see you get better,” Hiccup said. “I don’t know, it’s stupid. You’re exactly the same as I remember, except in these few little ways … it just keeps reminding me, you know?”

“You really feel guilty about that, huh?” Jack asked. “It wasn’t your fault, Hic. We talked about that.”

“I don’t feel guilty about it,” Hiccup said. “That’s not it at all. I just … you all but told me that I was the only person you’d been able to talk to and spend time with. Ever. And then you lost me. And I don’t think you were alright.”

Jack held up his hands. “It was fine, really,” he said. “I told you I have believers now, right? I wasn’t alone for the whole time.”

“How long for, Jack?”

There was silence for a while, then Toothless gurgled. Hiccup sighed. “Alright,” he said. “Sorry. I understand if you don’t want to answer.”

Toothless flipped Jack with an ear flap.

“Ow!” Jack poked Toothless’s neck. “You’re pitiless.”

“Toothless,” Hiccup warned, then he glanced up at Jack. “If you don’t want to tell me, that means it was a long time, doesn’t it?”

“You could say that,” Jack said. “I finally got believers … four, five years ago? Same time as I made up with the rest of the Guardians.” He couldn’t look up at Hiccup’s face.

“Odin’s eyes, Jack,” Hiccup muttered.

Jack shrugged.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Hiccup asked.

“Never been better,” Jack said with absolute sincerity. “Trust me.”

Hiccup nodded. “Alright,” he said. “So. Where are we going?”

Jack lifted up above Toothless to get a view past the dragon’s head. “Right about … there,” he said.

 

~

 

Jack walked into Burgess alone, leaving Jack and Toothless hidden in the trees near the lake.

He floated up to Jamie’s window and unlatched it, sending a small drift of snowflakes onto Jamie’s bed.

Jamie shivered and rolled over, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

“Hey,” Jack said.

“Hm? Jack Frost?” Jamie asked, sitting up and looking at the window.

“Your parents asleep?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, I think so. The TV isn’t playing.”

“Good. I’ve got a surprise for you. Want a ride?” He knelt on the windowsill and Jamie climbed onto his back.

“What happened to your eyes?” Jamie asked.

“Just goofing around,” Jack said. “Why, do I look a little scary?”

“Not scary … Did it hurt?”

“It didn’t tickle, kiddo.”

“What about Sophie?” Jamie asked.

“We’re getting her next,” Jack promised. “And then I’m taking you to meet a friend of mine.”

 

~

 

Jack touched down near the lake with Jamie hanging from his back and Sophie from one of his arms. “We’re here,” he called.

Hiccup wandered out from the trees.

“So, these friends of yours?” Hiccup asked.

Jamie and Sophie both looked up at Jack.

“He doesn’t speak English yet,” Jack told them. “But we’re working on it. Hiccup, these are Jamie and Sophie, my first believers. Jamie and Sophie, my boyfriend, Hiccup.”

Jamie and Sophie both looked up at him, astonished. Jack grinned. There was a mischievous streak in him today, and it was thoroughly enjoying their surprise.

“I didn’t know you were … I mean …” Jamie stammered.

“That’s OK, right?” Jack asked.

“Yeah!” Jamie said, nodding emphatically. “Of course!”

“Can I get a translation, please?” Hiccup asked.

“Sorry. Just introducing you properly.”

“That tells me nothing, Jack. What did you say?”

“Nothing compared to what I’m about to say, that’s for sure,” Jack said with a grin.

“Jack …” Hiccup rubbed the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

Jack relented. “I just told him you were my boyfriend.”

Hiccup narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Jack laughed. “Call Toothless?”

Jamie and Sophie looked at Jack.

“Jamie, Sophie,” Jack said. “Allow me to present the last member of our group.”

Toothless bounded through the trees, stretched out his wings, and nuzzled Hiccup’s extended hand.

“My boyfriend’s pet dragon,” Jack said, with no small degree of gleeful satisfaction. “His name is Toothless.”

The kids’ reactions were everything he’d expected and more. Sophie froze in place, eyes and mouth wide, and Jamie drew in a deep breath that seemed to go on forever.

“Don’t explode,” Jack told them. “I have to get you back to your parents in one piece.”

Hiccup chuckled at them. “He likes nose pats,” he said. “Toothless, you want to let the kids give you a pat?”

Toothless sat down, wrapping his tail around his body, the bright red fin waving back and forth under his chin. Hiccup knelt beside him, hand on the back of Toothless’s head.

“He’s friendly,” Jack said. “You want to pat him?”

Sophie moved first, running forward towards Toothless.

“Slowly!” Jack warned her. “Just like meeting a big dog for the first time, OK?”

Sophie nodded, and slowed to a walk, stretching her hand out carefully. Toothless lowered his head and stretched out a little until he touched Sophie’s hand with his nose. Sophie gasped softly.

Jamie walked up slowly beside her, and placed his hand just above hers.

Toothless’s mouth suddenly snapped open, revealing toothless gums. Sophie screamed and dashed around to hide behind Jack. Jamie yelped and took a step back.

“Toothless,” Hiccup warned. “Don’t be mean.”

Toothless’s teeth unsheathed themselves from his gums, and he gave a passable impression of a smile. Then, he retracted them again and started to nuzzle Hiccup for ear scratches.

“He’s. So. Cool,” Jamie said. “Hey, why has he got one red tail fin?”

“It’s OK, I’ll translate,” Jack said, and relayed the question.

Hiccup nodded. “When I first met him, I thought he was dangerous, so I attacked him. He lost the tail fin falling out of the sky. But when I went to find him, and I learned he was actually pretty friendly, I made him a new one. He can’t fly without it.”

“Um, if it’s OK to ask,” Jamie said, “Is that how you lost your leg, too?”

Hiccup shook his head. “That was later. If it weren’t for Toothless, I’d have lost a lot more than just a foot.”

Toothless headbutted Hiccup’s shoulder, and Hiccup shoved him back. Jamie laughed.

“Pretty …” Sophie cooed, reaching out her hand to pat Toothless’s nose again.

“Your foot looks really cool,” Jamie said.

“He makes them himself,” Jack said.

“You made that?” Jamie gasped.

“Jack, what are you telling him?”

“I said you made your own foot.”

“Can I have a look?” Jamie asked.

Hiccup sat back and pulled up his pants leg so Jamie could see the whole thing. “Just don’t touch the buckles or straps,” he said.

Jack translated.

Jamie looked all around the foot, keeping his hands well away from it. “It’s so cool,” he said.

“He likes it,” Jack translated.

Hiccup chuckled.

Sophie tugged on Jack’s sleeve.

“What is it, Soph?”

“It’s got a saddle on it,” she said in a whisper. “Can we ride the dragon?”

Jack grinned. “I bet Hiccup would let you, if you asked really nicely.”

“But I can’t understand what he’s saying,” Sophie pointed out.

Jack knelt down to whisper in her ear. “Then you say, ‘Hiccup, can I please ride your dragon?’. Just like that.”

Sophie whispered it back, and upon receiving Jack’s nod, she walked up to Hiccup and, pulling her hair over her face, asked in Berk’s language, “Hiccup, can I please ride your dragon?”

Hiccup smiled. “What do you reckon, Toothless?”

Toothless _gronked_ and gave Sophie a soft nuzzle.

“I think Toothless says yes,” Hiccup said. He mounted Toothless and clipped his foot into the saddle.

Jack helped him lift Jamie and Sophie onto the saddle, Sophie in front where he could keep hold of her, and Jamie behind with strict instructions to hold onto either Hiccup or the saddle at all times, no exceptions, no matter how exciting it is, Jamie.

Jack fidgeted as Hiccup got Hiccup ready and the kids positioned right. He wanted to be flying. He wanted for them all to be laughing together. He needed to clear his head.

“Are you coming, too, Jack?” Jamie asked.

“Of course,” Jack said. “But since when have I ever needed a dragon to fly?”

Toothless growled.

“No offense, Toothless,” Jack added.

“No goading the reptile when there are passengers,” Hiccup said. “New rule.”

Toothless crouched and leaped into the air, wings pumping furiously to gain height. Jack heard Jamie and Sophie gasp as the dragon started its ascent, and took off after them.

Toothless reached a height where it would be hard to see him from the village against the dark sky and turned in a gentle circle over the town.

Jack reclined beside them on the breeze. He yawned and stretched.

“Jack,” Hiccup warned. Toothless was casting him sidelong glances.

“Can he do tricks?” Jamie asked.

Jack’s grin widened. Oh, he’d been waiting for this moment. He looked up at Hiccup. Hiccup shook his head. “Uh-uh,” he said. “Jack, no. Last time you smiled like that, Astrid nearly killed me.”

“It’s not that bad. Jamie just asked if Toothless has any cool tricks.”

Toothless’s ears perked up.

“Toothless seems keen,” Jack said.

“No, Jack,” Hiccup said. “I will not be responsible for thi-”

Jack missed the last part of the sentence, as Toothless abruptly changed direction and sped off straight up. Jack followed along, keeping up with Toothless as he turned and dived towards the trees.

“Thanks for nothing, Jack,” Hiccup shouted. “You’re a dead Guardian.”

Jamie whooped and raised one hand into the air. Sophie cackled. Jack flew closer, just in case Jamie lost his grip.

They headed to the trees. Hiccup bent forward over Sophie, and changed the position of Toothless’s tail into a sharp left turn. Toothless turned this way and that through the trees. Jamie’s arms pinwheeled for a moment. Jack lunged to nudge him forward. Jamie caught Hiccup around the shoulders and clung tight, laughing as they wove through the trees.

Toothless landed with a _thud_ and a slide next to the lake.

“Nice flying, you show-off,” Hiccup said, patting Toothless’s head while Jamie and Sophie laughed and shouted.

Jack landed beside them and scratched Toothless behind the ears. “Good boy,” he said. “You know how to make a flight exciting, don’t you?”

“Jack, what were you thinking?” Hiccup asked.

Jack waved a hand. “It’s fine,” he said. “It was under control. I’m a Guardian, remember?”

Hiccup rubbed his nose. “You sure love tempting fate,” he said. “And you, Toothless! You’re as bad as he is.”

Jack frowned. “I thought you’d have fun,” he said, standing up.

Hiccup sighed. “I love flying,” he said. “Especially doing tricks with Toothless. But that’s just me and Toothless. What if one of them had slipped?”

Oh, shit. Hiccup was really upset. Jack put his hand on the Viking’s shoulder. “I was right there,” he said. “Remember, it’s not just you. It’s both of us. Alright?”

Hiccup turned away. "Alright," he said, but it was without conviction.

“Alright,” Jack said. “Next time, I will. Promise. Why don’t I drop these two back home, and you and I can go flying with Toothless for a while?” He hoped so. He’d messed up and he desperately wanted to end the night on a high note.

Hiccup nodded. “Alright, everybody off the dragon.” He unclipped his foot while Jack lifted Sophie and Jamie off Toothless.

“Can’t we go again?” Jamie asked.

“Some other time,” Jack told him. “Right now, I have to get you two back before you’re missed.”

He picked them both up and started flying them home.

“Jack?” Jamie asked quietly next to his ear.

“What’s up?”

“Is Hiccup angry at us?”

Jack shook his head. “No. I just scared him a bit, is all. I bet he and Toothless would love to come back. Maybe we can bring everybody next time. Does that sound fun?”

“Yeah!” Sophie said. Jamie nodded, brightening up.

Jack slipped them back into their windows, and left a little ice pattern on each window, for the morning.


	38. Visitors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The number of times I've rewritten this chapter is incredibly close to 'ridiculous'.

Hiccup and Jack didn’t arrive back until close to dawn, and snuck into the house, where Stoick was fast asleep and snoring loudly.

Jack threw himself down onto the bed with a sigh. “That was fun,” he said.

Hiccup sat down next to him, and took his shoe off.  “I can’t believe it, you know.”

“What?”

“I leave for a measly few hundred years,” Hiccup said with an exaggerated handwave, “And you go and adopt kids.”

“I did not adopt them,” Jack said, unable to hide a grin. “They have parents who are more responsible than I will ever be.”

“Well, they’ve definitely adopted you,” Hiccup said. He yawned. “But next time I’m bringing rope and tying them to the damn saddle, just in case.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jack said, relieved that Hiccup seemed not to have taken it too badly.

“One of these days,” Hiccup muttered, “We’re going to have some time together that isn’t interrupted by something dramatic.” He looked out the window and groaned. “It’s barely worth going to sleep.”

“I don’t think I could,” Jack said.

Hiccup looked over at him. “This is like food for you, right? You can but you don’t have to?”

Jack nodded.

Hiccup sighed. “Well, I’m going to try to.” He pulled out a nightshirt, and held another one up. “Same one as last time,” he said. “Did you want to stay here?”

Jack smiled. “Yeah,” he said.

They changed, and curled up together.

“What will you do, if you don’t sleep?” Hiccup asked.

Jack shrugged. “Enjoy the moment,” he said.

 

~

 

The moment, for Jack, was ended abruptly by the sound of a horn echoing through the village, followed very quickly by a sudden movement, and then he was tipping over off the bed and onto the floor.

“Sorry!” Hiccup called.

Jack rolled over onto his back. “No harm done,” he said, springing to his feet. “Startled a bit, were we?

Hiccup massaged the sleep out of his eyes. “We haven’t used that horn since the dragon raids stopped,” he said. “We’d better get dressed quickly. I think we have company.”

 

~

 

Hiccup and Jack joined Stoick on the cliffs overlooking the harbour. Off in the distance, a huge ship waited, big and black and close enough to see the smokestacks. Much closer, approaching the harbour, was a little boat with an offboard motor, puttering its way up to the sailing boats.

Jack gripped Hiccup’s shoulder and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

Stoick and Hiccup met them at the docks. Jack hung back, sitting on one of the bollards.

Four of the five people in the boat were all wearing casual clothes and carrying notebooks and laptop bags. The other was wearing a suit without the jacket, tie carefully clipped to his shirt to avoid it flapping around.

He extended his hand to Stoick and Hiccup, who each shook his hand, just like North had taught them.

The woman in the orange blouse made a note.

“Welcome to Berk,” Stoick said, gesturing to the cliffs.

The woman in orange and the man with the polo shirt started to take furious notes. The woman with the huge, round glasses stepped forwards and said, “It is a pleasure to be here. Do you speak this language?”

Jack couldn’t place the language she was speaking, but from the sound of it, it was a Scandinavian language. It bore only a few similarities to the language spoken in Berk.

Stoick and Hiccup looked at her blankly.

“How about this language? Do you speak it?” She tried another, and this one Jack couldn’t place immediately.

“Jack?” Hiccup asked.

“She’s asking if you speak the languages she’s trying out,” Jack explained.

Hiccup frowned. “You understand all of that?”

“Guardian,” Jack pointed out. “It comes with the job.” He took a deep breath. Here went nothing. In English, he said to them, “If you want, I can help translate.”

The five of them looked up, startled, as if seeing him for the first time.

“You … how do you know the language?” the woman in the glasses asked.

“It’s actually kinda similar to the language my grandparents spoke,” Jack lied. “I mean, I’m not _perfect_ , but I can sorta help. I think the big guy said ‘welcome’, by the way.” He turned to Hiccup. “Looks like I’m translating.”

Hiccup nodded. He gestured up the rickety, wooden staircase to the top of the cliff, where the rest of the village was waiting.

“We can take you on a tour of the village,” Hiccup said. “We can find you places to stay …” he trailed off.

“He wants to know if you want to see the village,” Jack said. “And you’re welcome to stay if you want to.”

“A tour would be … lovely,” said the man in the suit. “I and my colleagues” – he gestured to the man in the polo shirt – “would love to see everything. May we also speak to some of the villagers?”

Jack turned to Hiccup. “Tour sounds good,” he said. “And they want to figure out the language, so if anyone wants to sit down and talk to them, they’ll be entertained for hours.”

He grinned. Hiccup was about to say something, but a noise behind them made him stiffen.

It was the sound of a Night Fury leaping over things and people towards its owner.

Hiccup turned and held up his hands, and Toothless stopped in front of them. Hiccup gave his nose a scratch. “Bud, we agreed that you were _not_ going to make a sudden appearance. We had this figured out, remember?”

Behind him, four notebooks hit the ground.

“That’s a dragon,” Jack said, unable to keep the smugness out of his voice. “They ride them here.”

 

~

 

The tour went quickly. The table they sat at for lunch was quickly surrounded by curious Vikings. Jack was starting to get hoarse from so much talking when the woman in the orange blouse finally took pity and told him that the five of them would like a moment to have a conversation alone, and offered him a water bottle. The water was cool and soothing, but tasted like the metal container.

“Never thought I’d have enough of talking to people after five hundred years,” Jack said.

Hiccup glanced at him. “You slipped into English, but that sounded disgruntled, so I have a pretty good guess what you said. Must have been a while since you last talked for this long. How’s your throat feel?”

Jack nearly choked on his water in surprise. “Like nothing compared to what it’ll be at the end of the afternoon,” Jack said, taking another drink from the water bottle.

“Sorry. I thought you knew I was here.”

“I did.”

Hiccup frowned, and was about to question him further, when he was interrupted.

“Does he need to rest?” the woman in the glasses asked in stilted Viking, making Hiccup jump.

“Sorry,” she said, then switched back to English for Jack. “I’m Francesca, the linguist. I’ve picked up a few things,” she said, waving the notebook.

“She’s very good with languages,” Jack told Hiccup.

“It’s hard work being a translator,” she said. “We’ll manage on our own for a little while if you want some quiet time.”

Jack nodded.

Hiccup sighed. “I’d better go make sure nobody does anything particularly stupid,” he said. “You drink your water and come join us when you want.”

Hiccup went back over to sit with them. The woman in the glasses said something, and Hiccup thought for a minute before responding. She asked him something and got only a blank look. She tried again. Hiccup gestured for her notebook, and she handed it over.

After a few tries of scribbling, she finally clapped her hand to her mouth and laughed. Hiccup chuckled. She drew something and he said something, which she repeated.

“Trust you, Hiccup,” Jack said. He capped the water bottle and dropped it onto the table next to the woman in the orange blouse. She looked up, glanced in surprise at the water bottle, and looked around, but didn’t spot him.

Heh. Adults. Blind as ever.

The man in the suit had moved over to sit with Hiccup and Francesca. Jack stood next to Hiccup, leaning one hand on his shoulder, to listen to their conversation.

“A lot of your people are missing legs or arms,” the man was saying. “The dragons?”

Francesca made a mangled attempt at translating, but with a little creative sketching, she managed to get the point across.

Hiccup made an uncertain motion with his hands.

“Never mind,” the man in the suit said. “We have very advanced prosthetics nowadays, we might be able to organize for some of your people to have better replacements.”

Francesca gave him an incredulous look. “Grant, would _you_ like to try sketching that?”

“We need your translator for a moment,” Grant said, scanning the crowd. “Where did he get to?”

Francesca translated “Where is Jack?”

Hiccup raised an eyebrow and pointed at Jack, who had to chuckle. Some forms of sarcasm knew no language barrier.

Grant turned a little pink. “Oh,” he mumbled. “Didn’t see you there. Can you explain that?”

“Hiccup, he wants to know if your people want better replacements for limbs than just … whatever it is Gobber has.”

Hiccup frowned. “They have to want something in return, surely?”

Jack turned to Grant. “What would you trade?”

“We’d be asking for volunteers to test prototypes,” Grant said. “That way, they’d get them for free.”

“They want people to test new designs,” Jack said. “So, you’d get them free, but there might be problems with them.”

“I’ll ask around,” Hiccup said.

“You want one, don’t you?” Jack asked.

Hiccup hesitated, glancing down at his metal foot. “I’m … a bit attached to this one, no pun intended,” he said. Then he looked up and grinned at Jack. “If they had one I could take apart, though …”

“Next stop, world domination,” Jack joked. Then, he said to Grant, “He’ll ask and see if anyone wants one.”

“We’re also organizing some volunteers who can show people around off Berk,” Francesca said. “If you let some of our scientists stay here, we’ll send some of your people to experience the outside world. We can also provide teachers for any language you like, or anything else you’d like to learn from us.”

Hiccup nodded. “We’ll talk about that later,” he said. “I think language will be most important. Let’s start there.”

“At the moment, you’re off the coast of Scotland,” Grant said, half to Francesca. “English is the native language of the closest countries, and common through Europe.”

“Then we’ll start there,” Hiccup said.

“I’ll volunteer,” Francesca said, “If you don’t mind teaching me your language in return.”

Hiccup frowned. “Our language. What use will that be?”

“Academic,” Francesca said. “We’ve not heard a living language quite like yours, and we think it may be a combination of two different mother languages. We’re just … interested.”

“She just wants to poke it and see how it works,” Jack told Hiccup.

Hiccup nodded. “I guess I understand that. We’ll be happy to help. And I want to go with a group of my friends to see what the world is like. Tomorrow, if we can manage it.”

“We’ll send you with Maia,” Francesca said. “You can take the boat.”

The three of them shook on it.

 

~

 

The visitors went back to their ship after dinner, rather than staying in Berk, though they stayed late. The village put on a feast for them, with music and dancing. Jack sat next to Hiccup with a plate of food that Stoick declared “bird-like” and snorted at.

Grant said goodbye personally to both Stoick and Hiccup.

“Oh,” he said, as he walked out the door. “Thank Jack, wherever he is.”

Francesca translated that for Hiccup.

Hiccup pointed, and said in English, “Right. Here.”

Grant tried to make a joke of it. “He’s so small I couldn’t see him! Thank you for all your help. We’ll try not to wear you out so much tomorrow. You’ll see, Francesca will be fluent soon enough!”

Francesca rolled her eyes. “Sorry, Jack. I didn’t spot you, either.”

Hiccup watched them leave. “Alright. That’s officially weird.”

Jack shrugged. “Adults are a strange bunch, when it comes to seeing Guardians.”

“Is that a Guardian thing?” Hiccup asked. “Wait, just this morning, Gobber came up to ask you to help him translate. And so did Spitelout. Not to mention, no matter how Tuffnut and Ruffnut act, we hardly count as kids anymore.”

Jack shrugged. “I guess Berk is a … bit different,” he said. “Look, usually it’s like this: Kids can see me just fine. But adults? They just tend to slide on by. If they bump into me, they’ll apologise. I don’t get walked through anymore. But if they see me, say, playing in the snow, they’ll assume I’m someone’s older brother, or a visiting cousin. Those guys probably just assumed I was another Viking.”

“Why not Berk?” Hiccup asked.

“Well …” Jack said. “I’m a little harder to miss here. I’m not ‘Jack Frost the fairytale’ or ‘that boy who’s always playing in the snow’. I’m Jack Frost. Who plays with their kids. Hiccup’s boyfriend. Who helped orchestrate this … whole mess.”

Hiccup wrapped an arm around Jack and rested his cheek on the top of Jack’s head. “I think it’s been working out just fine,” he said. “Tomorrow, we can go on that trip out, and we’ll see what we’re dealing with.”


	39. Rooftops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that I've been on hiatus for so long! I went away for Christmas and I accidentally moved the wrong folder onto my laptop, so I didn't have access to the fic to post anything for the past three weeks!
> 
> To make up for it, have a bulk update. Installation One: Shameless Angst.

Hiccup woke up in the middle of the night, surprisingly warm. Jack wasn’t there. Toothless was still asleep.

He sighed. The part of him that was still sleepy and irritable wished that once, just once, Jack would talk first instead of running off, and that they could manage to go a single day without drama. The rest of him dragged the sleepy part of him out of bed and went to see if Jack was anywhere nearby still.

He was lying on the roof, dressed in his day clothes, looking up at the sky, and the round full moon. Hiccup could see his bare feet dangling over the roof.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.” Jack’s voice floated down from somewhere on the roof.

“You need some company up there?”

Jack laughed. Hiccup decided that meant yes.

Climbing onto the roof was going to be difficult with one foot. Hiccup managed to get a hand onto the roof, then cursed. He wasn’t going to be able to pull himself up from this position.

Icy fingers grabbed his arms and helped haul him up. Then, Jack lay down again, along the top ridge of the roof, putting a hand behind his head and looking up at the sky.

“Still looking up at the Man in the Moon?” Hiccup asked. He didn’t follow Jack’s gaze. The idea that Jack was still looking to the Man in the Moon hurt. He knew how Jack felt, and he knew it too well. It sparked a sympathetic sort of ache in his gut.

Jack nodded.

“Has he spoken to you yet?” Hiccup asked quietly.

“No,” Jack admitted. “I mean, he made me a Guardian. He finally told me what my purpose was.”

“He didn’t have to wait five hundred years to do it,” Hiccup said.

“Or rather,” Jack continued, “He got North to tell me that I was a Guardian.”

Hiccup’s jaw clenched involuntarily.

“I’m not angry at him,” Jack said quickly. “And I can’t hate him. I’m glad I found out in the end.”

Hiccup didn’t insult Jack by asking how he wasn’t angry. He said, “I understand,” and nothing else.

“Did I tell you?” Jack asked casually, glancing over at Hiccup for a moment. “He didn’t make me, after all.”

“What?”

“Tooth … helped me find out. Part of her job is keeping records of important memories. I was human, once. About eighty years before I met you. My sister and I were out playing on the ice, but it started to crack under her. I tried to play hopscotch with her, to get her to safety.”

Hiccup waited for Jack to go on.

Jack patted the stick lying next to him on the roof. “I managed to use this to pull her onto the solid ice in the end,” he said. “But I had to switch places with her. And … I was heavier than she was. Then the Man in the Moon brought me back.”

“But you didn’t know that,” Hiccup said. “He didn’t bring you back with any of those memories, and then he didn’t talk to you for five hundred years, not even to explain why.”

Jack didn’t respond. His face remained blank and distant.

Hiccup shuffled down till he was next to Jack, then lay across his boyfriend, using Jack’s chest as a pillow, one arm and leg across the roof for balance. He closed his eyes and got comfortable.

“You’ll get cold out here,” Jack said.

“It’s the middle of summer,” Hiccup said. “I’ll be fine.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Hiccup sighed. “Jack, don’t. First, you just have to accept that I’m fine with you being cold. If it was going to be a problem, I’d have tried to invent a solution. It’s what I do. Second, you don’t get to grab my hand and lean on my shoulder and demand hugs all the time, then when I want to cuddle, tell me that I can’t.”

“Sorry,” Jack said. Then, “It’s not really all the time, is it?”

“I love you,” Hiccup said. “But you aren’t subtle. And you’ve been hovering around me like you’re afraid I’ll disappear again.”

“I’m not afraid,” Jack said quickly. “Well, not that you’ll leave. It’s … stupid.”

“I know you, Jack,” Hiccup said. “I already know you’re an idiot, you already know I’m a dork. So you might as well tell me. It won’t change anything.”

“Going to push you off the roof, I swear,” Jack muttered, but a little of the life had returned to his voice. Then he paused and said, “I just keep getting this _feeling_ like I’ll do something wrong and suddenly everyone will forget me again.”

Hiccup was silent. By Odin, the Man in the Moon had _so much_ to answer for …

“Told you it was stupid,” Jack said.

“Well,” Hiccup said. “I could see you last time when nobody else could, right?”

“That’s true,” Jack said.

“And I promise – guarantee, even – that there’s no way I could forget you. So you can stop worrying about that part. And I promise, too, that if everybody else forgets you, I will shout the story of Jack Frost from the rooftops until they all start believing again.”

Jack made a noise, but didn’t say anything.

After a moment, once Hiccup was sure Jack wouldn’t respond, he chuckled. “Some things never change,” he said.

“Yeah?” Jack asked.

“You still seem to have something against me sleeping.”

Jack’s chest shuddered. The top of Hiccup’s head got suddenly colder as one of Jack’s hands entwined itself in his hair, stroking his scalp absently.

“Ngh,” Hiccup said sleepily. “Cold.”

“Sorry.” The hand disappeared.

“I didn’t say stop.”

Jack hesitated, then the hand was back.

“I can feel you breathing,” Hiccup said. “Are you still laughing at me, or do I need to be concerned?”

“Laughing. Go to sleep.”

He most certainly was not laughing. Hiccup sighed, and reached up. He cupped Jack’s face with one hand and rubbed his cheek with a thumb. Dry. But he could feel how tense Jack was, and how hard he was fighting for control. “Sssshh,” he said, brushing Jack’s hair back over his ear. “I’m here.”

“I said, go to sleep.” Jack started to get his breathing under control. He turned his head so his cheek pressed into Hiccup’s hand. “Hey, Hic?”

“Yeah?”

“Promise you’ll be here in the morning?”

“I’m staying right where I am,” Hiccup said. “Promise.”

There was silence.

“I mean,” Hiccup amended, “Unless you accidentally push me off the roof or something. But I figure we’ll deal with that if it happens.”

“Hey, you’re one-nil up on throwing people off beds,” Jack reminded him. “You just make sure you don’t roll off yourself.”

“I’ll manage,” Hiccup said.


	40. Day Trip: Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Installation Two of the Bulk Apology Update: Shameless Fluff
> 
> This chapter got really long, so I had to break it into two chapters.  
> Also you can pry Tuffnut getting disgusted at Hiccup and Jack being adorable out of my cold, dead, shipping hands.

“Pay up,” Snotlout said.

Ruffnut made a disgusted noise, and there was a slap and a jingle.

“I’m going to need to take a vote from everyone,” Tuffnut said. “Which is weirder, the fact that Hiccup is disgustingly in love, or the fact that they decided to sleep on Hiccup’s roof?”

“I’m not voting on that,” Astrid said.

“Fine. Anybody else?”

“I dunno, probably the roof thing,” Ruffnut said.

“Suddenly I understand what it’s like to hate mornings,” Hiccup muttered.

“I could have woken you up and taken you inside,” Jack said.

“Ah, another excuse to stop me sleeping. Clever, clever.” Hiccup sat up and leaned over the roof. “Are we done?”

“Get dressed, loverboy,” Snotlout said. “The boat’s coming.”

Jack swung down off the roof, landing lightly. Hiccup looked over the roof, as if judging the distance, looking for the right spot to land.

“Sure, go ahead,” he said. “Just leave me up here. Can you at least get me my foot? Maybe a ladder?”

“Whoops,” Jack said. He’d honestly forgotten that Hiccup might have a little more trouble getting down. He flipped back up onto the roof and lifted Hiccup’s arm over his shoulder, wrapping his other arm around Hiccup.

“Ready?” he asked.

“No,” Hiccup said.

The others shielded their faces against the sudden gust of wind that controlled Jack and Hiccup’s descent.

There was silence for a moment. Jack realized suddenly that this was the first time he’d actually used any powers in front of them. None of them had been there when he’d arrived at Berk to see him flying in, none of them could see him before that, and since then he’d done all his flying on Toothless.

“Jealous?” Hiccup broke the silence with a smug grin. “Come on, Jack.”

Jack picked one of Hiccup’s button-down shirts off the pile, to go with his own pants. He rolled the sleeves up, but it was no use – Hiccup was about three sizes broader and nothing was going to disguise that. He headed out to give Hiccup some privacy while the Viking changed his own clothes.

“Hey, you heal quick,” Snotlout said to Jack as he emerged. “It barely looks like you used your face as an icepick anymore.”

“Thanks,” Jack said. At least, he assumed that was a compliment.

As they waited outside for Hiccup, Fishlegs kept glancing at Jack and then away again.

“You … have a question or something?” Jack asked.

“Can you really control the wind?” Fishlegs asked quietly.

Jack grinned, lifted his feet off the ground and let the wind carry him upwards, turn him over and drop him back down again. “Just a few tricks I picked up along the way.”

Astrid frowned, walked over, grabbed him by the shoulders and hoisted him off his feet, holding him suspended.

“Most people just tell me I need to eat more,” Jack said.

“What did he do now?” Hiccup asked, from the door to the hut.

“I think you and your stick thing weigh about the same,” Astrid told Jack and put him down. “Nothing, Hiccup.”

Jack vaulted lazily over her head and landed next to Hiccup. “Just demonstrating.” He gave Hiccup a peck on the cheek.

Tuffnut made a gagging noise.

Gobber came rushing up the hill, waving his arms above his head. “There you all are. Come on, no lollygagging! Your boat’s here.”

He clapped Fishlegs on the back, making the large boy stumble forward. “Time to go see the world,” he said cheerfully. “Bring us back whatever it is you’re supposed to bring back nowadays.”

Hiccup looked at Jack. “What do we bring back?”

Jack pulled the camera out of his hoodie pouch and waved it. “It’s called ‘photographic evidence’. Nowadays, nothing happens unless someone has one of these.”

Hiccup narrowed his eyes. “That’s a joke I don’t get, right?” he asked.

Jack laughed. “Oh, you’ll find out.”

He inspected the outfits they’d all gotten dressed in. Astrid and Ruffnut seemed comfortable enough – Astrid had loose cargo pants and a tank top, Ruffnut had chosen skinny jeans and a flannel over a black top. Snotlout had apparently decided on double-denim, and wore it with all the swagger and disregard for the weather it was designed for. Tuffnut was in camo pants and a bright blue tee. Fishlegs wore a vest with fur around the hood over a tee shirt and a pair of jeans. Every single one of the group had heavy hiking boots, except for Ruffnut and Astrid, who had Doc Martens.

Jack grinned. Forget worrying about how they’d react to the world. He wanted to see how the world reacted to them.

He gave Hiccup another peck on the cheek. “See you at the bottom, Hic,” he said, and stepped off the walkway.

Hiccup sighed. “Why?” he called over the side.

Jack let the wind carry him back up just long enough to say, “Stairs are for people who aren’t lazy,” and disappear again.

“And he didn’t even offer us a lift,” Snotlout said.

Both Jack and Maia met them at the bottom.

“Morning,” she said. “I brought … oh. Where did you get the clothes?”

“That was my doing,” Jack said.

When Maia didn’t reply, Hiccup said, “Jack got them for us,” and pointed.

“Oh, well. Guess he beat me to it.” She grinned sheepishly. “Come on, everyone into the boat. Any idea what you’d like to see?”

“Let’s take it casual,” Jack said. “Café breakfast, walk around a city, movie theatre?”

“Movie?” Maia asked. “But …”

“Something big and action-y,” Jack said. “Come on, it’ll be great! They have no idea what a movie is! Who cares if they can’t understand exactly what the characters are saying?”

Maia frowned, but finally shrugged. “I suppose most of those movies are easy enough to follow without the dialogue.”

Jack grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

“Translation, please?” Hiccup asked.

“We’re just planning your day. We’re going to get something to eat, show you around, then take you to a movie.”

“What’s a movie?” Astrid asked.

“You’ll find out.”

 

~

 

They docked the little boat at what looked like a recreational boating ramp, and met a taxi van in the car park. Maia put her head through the window and held a discussion with the driver while Hiccup walked around the van, examining it. The windows were too tinted for him to see in. The others followed. Fishlegs poked the tailpipe, which vibrated as the engine idled.

Maia beckoned them, and they piled in. The taxi driver gave them a very odd look as Maia and Jack explained to the others how to operate a seat belt. Snotlout gave the seatbelt an experimental tug as the taxi took off, and locked the seatbelt, much to the amusement of the rest of the group.

“It makes a lot of noise,” Astrid commented, over the sound of the engine as they left the carpark.

“You should have heard them a few decades ago,” Jack said to himself.

“Were they worse back then?” Hiccup asked.

Jack jumped. Dammit, he kept forgetting he was saying things out loud! He hadn’t been ready to answer, so he stammered out “Yeah. Much worse.”

“What did you say makes it run?” Hiccup asked.

“Uh,” Jack said. Being a Spirit of Winter hadn’t actually provided any education on internal combustion engines, oddly enough. “Maia, can you explain how an engine works?”

Maia opened her mouth and closed it again. “Oh boy,” she said. “This is going to be tough. Have you ever seen something explode?”

Everyone nodded.

“Dragons,” Snotlout said in English, by way of explanation.

The taxi driver glanced in the rear view mirror. Jack couldn’t help grinning.

“So, you know that when something catches on fire very quickly, it can produce force,” Maia said.

Hiccup nodded vigorously as Jack translated.

Snotlout muttered to Ruffnut and Tuffnut, “It’s a miracle Hiccup’s eyebrows still grow.” Ruffnut snickered.

“So, we use petrol, which burns easily, and light it on fire inside the engine,” Maia said. “That makes explosions that force the pieces of the engine to move, which forces other pieces to move, all the way through the car until the wheels turn and the car moves. That’s … a very simple version.”

Jack pulled out his camera and snapped a picture. Hiccup blinked from the flash right next to his eyes.

“What was that?” he asked.

“Camera.” Jack waved it. “Just capturing the moment.”

“Let me see that.”

Jack flicked over to the photograph he’d taken of Hiccup’s shining-eyed excitement. Hiccup turned red and gave Jack a shove. “Dork,” he said.

Snotlout stretched against his unmoving seatbelt for the camera. “Give it here! We need to see that!”

Jack snapped a picture of him, too.


	41. Day Trip: Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Installation Three of the Bulk Apology Update: Shameless Fluff Part Two
> 
> In which everyone’s camera privileges ought to be revoked.

The taxi dropped them off in the middle of town, on a shopping street. Maia and Jack thought the trip might go a little quicker if they explained everything from inside the taxi, rather than having to stop walking every few seconds as their guests found something else to gawk at.

Maia paid the taxi driver and arranged for them to be picked up, then glanced at Jack.

“Anyone hungry?” she asked.

Six Vikings nodded.

“Right there,” Jack pointed out the café. “Look good?”

It did, and six Vikings sat down very cautiously at a long table inside.

“What are those?” Astrid asked, pointing to the bain marie.

“Cakes,” Jack replied.

There was a pause, before Ruffnut said, “Those are never cakes. That one has gold on it!”

“It’s fake,” Jack said quickly.

“Nothing I have ever seen is that colour yellow,” Tuffnut added.

“That’s passionfruit,” Jack said.

“What in Thor’s name is a passionfruit?”

Maia brought up a picture on her phone to show them. “It’s a tropical fruit.”

“It grows where the weather is hot all year round,” Jack said, absolutely positive that the Vikings had no word for “tropical”.

“So, she just happened to have a photograph of that on her camera?” Hiccup asked Jack.

Jack tried not to laugh, really he did. He pressed both hands to his mouth to hide his smile. Hiccup sighed. “Just tell me what’s so funny.”

“That, um. That’s not a camera,” Jack said. “Well, it has a camera in it. But you remember when we were talking about phones with North?”

Hiccup dropped his head onto the table. “I’m never going to catch up, am I?”

Jack patted him on the shoulder. “You will,” he promised. “This is, what, day one?”

The Vikings were then very quickly introduced to the concepts of “menu”, “coffee” and “waiter”, in that order. The coffee was by far Jack’s favourite.

“OK,” Jack said as their coffee orders arrived and pulled out his camera. “Now, take a sip, and add sugar until it tastes good.”

“What’s the camera for?” Snotlout said.

“Just pretend I’m not here,” Jack said, and pressed ‘record’.

Astrid tasted the foam off her spoon and made a face. “It’s not bad,” she said.

The Vikings looked at each other.

“On three?” Snotlout suggested, picking up the cup.

“One,” Hiccup said.

“Two,” Astrid said.

“Three,” Snotlout finished and they all lifted their cups and drank.

Tuffnut lost his almost immediately, back into the cup. Snotlout gagged, sending milky liquid shooting out his nose. Fishlegs sat with a full mouth as a variety of expressions passed over his face. Astrid swallowed and pushed the glass away, as Hiccup began to cough and choke.

Ruffnut took another huge gulp. “I don’t know what you’re all complaining about,” she said.

“Sugar?” Astrid asked. Jack pushed the glass full of packets of sugar to her. She tore the top off one and tipped the grains into the coffee. She stirred it and tried again.

“Actually …” she said. “They may be onto something with this one.”

“Nope,” Snotlout said, holding a napkin to his face. “No chance. I tried once, the experience was horrible, and I’m not doing it again.”

Hiccup shrugged and tipped a packet of sugar into his coffee. “Suit yourself,” he said. He tasted the coffee, then added another packet.

“Pass the camera,” Tuffnut said. “What did the photo look like?”

“Oh,” Jack said. “It’s not a photo.”

He started the video playing for them. Ruffnut and Snotlout leaned over Tuffnut’s shoulders, and Fishlegs got up to walk around behind them. As they were watching, pointing out facial expressions and laughing, the food arrived.

Jack moved aside so his fruit toast could be put in front of him, then leaned over the table.

“Let me just … this bit’s my favourite,” he said, rewinding and then pausing the video.

Tuffnut looked up at him in awe. “You can make it …”

“Yeah,” Jack said. “It’s a recording, you can do what you want.”

Tuffnut’s face slowly broke into a grin. “Oh, this changes everything!” he said.

Hiccup stabbed a piece of capsicum with his fork. “I can’t identify anything on this plate,” he said. “Except that it’s made of eggs.” He glanced over. “Yours looks good.”

“Swap you a bite?” Jack offered. He buttered a corner of his toast and held it up for Hiccup, who leaned over.

Hiccup made a face.

“Not good?” Jack asked.

“Really confusing,” Hiccup said, through his mouthful. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

He tore off a corner of his omelette and offered the fork to Jack. It was a good omelette, as omelettes went.

Then Jack realised that across the table, everyone was standing behind the camera and whispering.

“So that’s how you recording,” Tuffnut said, with an evil grin.

 

~

 

By the time they’d reached mid-afternoon, most of the Vikings were starting to waver. The questions were coming much more slowly, and the rushing enthusiasm of the morning had calmed to a quiet awe. Even Hiccup had stopped asking questions about every machine, device and shop they passed.

“I think we should get back,” Maia said. “I’ll call that cab.” She punched in the number and stepped away to talk on the phone.

“What’s a cab?” Hiccup asked.

“It’s a car that …” Jack began.

“Don’t,” Tuffnut groaned, interrupting. “Don’t explain anything else. I don’t want to know what that is. Odin’s beard, I didn’t have to absorb this much information in _dragon training_ …”

“I think that means we’re about done for the day,” Hiccup confirmed.

“We’ll be picked up soon,” Maia said. “How is everyone feeling?”

“Overwhelmed,” Astrid said.

Maia smiled. “I imagine it must be a huge change. You’ll get used to it soon enough.”

Hiccup sighed. Jack twined his fingers around Hiccup’s and leaned on Hiccup’s shoulder. “What’s up?”

“We’ve barely scratched the surface,” Hiccup said. “We didn’t even get to find out what a ‘movie’ is.”

“I’ll take you,” Jack promised. “Soon.”

The drive home was a fairly listless one. Snotlout, who had the camera, snapped a picture of Hiccup and Jack leaning on each other in the taxi, but nobody had the energy to joke about it.

Hiccup rubbed his eyes as they approached Berk on the boat. “And now we’ll have to figure out how to explain everything.”

Snotlout put his head in his hands. “Do we have to?”

Jack chuckled. “Buck up,” he said, in his best Bunny impersonation. They touched up against the dock, and Jack swirled up a few snowflakes, with a little extra Guardian magic thrown in.

“How was it?” Gobber greeted them, helping them out of the boat. Maia bade them farewell and turned the boat around.

“Great!” Snotlout exclaimed, bluish sparks dancing around his eyes as the snowflake burst on the bridge of his nose. “Their buildings are huge!”

“They have this stuff called ‘coffee’,” Ruffnut said. “It’s amazing!”

“It’s disgusting,” Tuffnut corrected.

Hiccup laughed at them, then turned to Jack. “Alright,” he said. “I know that was you. What is this?”

Jack shrugged. “We’re having a little fun,” he said. “It’s a Guardian thing. Just a pick-me-up. They’ll be fine, but they’ll tell great stories.”

“Why didn’t I get one?”

Jack looked away. For some reason, he found it difficult to bring himself to use that kind of magic on Hiccup. “I guess …” he said. “Would you like one?”

Hiccup squeezed his hand. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “You look like you need one, though. Or is that just your bruises?”

Jack rubbed his eyes. “They don’t work on me, more’s the pity,” he said.

Thankfully for Hiccup and Jack, the others took charge of the conversations and stories, until they were finally released.


	42. Starting off on the Wrong Foot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup's turn to get fed up with the world for a bit.

“I said don’t touch it!” Hiccup said, slamming the door to the forge open and angrily hopping through the door, trying to do up the straps on his foot as he went.

Inside the forge, the scientist hobbled to the door, leaning on the doorframe and holding his thigh. “Wait!”

“No,” Hiccup said, turning so he could shout more directly at the scientist, losing his balance and crashing to the ground.

He wrenched the straps into place and stood up, brushing himself off, looking around at the villagers who were standing and gaping.

“Everything alright, son?” Stoick asked.

Jack finally managed to extricate himself from the game of tag, ruffled the new ‘it’ child’s hair, and vaulted over the crowd.

Hiccup ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. “Fine,” he said. “But someone else can get fitted for that thing. He’s not touching my feet ever again.”

Stoick’s face grew thunderous. “What did he do.”

“Hey, Hic,” Jack said, putting a hand on Hiccup’s shoulder.

“Nothing, Dad,” Hiccup said. “I just …” he tensed his hands in a gesture of undirected rage. “I’m unvolunteering. I don’t like that thing.”

“I’m sorry,” the scientist said, hobbling up with some help from Francesca. “Is there some way I can make it up to you?” He glanced at Jack, who rolled his eyes and translated.

“No,” Hiccup said in English, shaking his head.

“I said something I shouldn’t …” the scientist started, but Stoick stepped between him and Hiccup.

Jack leaned around Stoick. “I think maybe it’ll be better if you leave it there,” he said. “Vikings have tempers. I think you just found that out.” He glanced down at the man’s obviously swelling thigh. “Maybe leave it till later when everyone’s a bit calmer, yeah?”

The scientist glanced at Stoick, and nodded.

“And get some ice!” Jack shouted.

“I’m going to get Toothless,” Hiccup said.

Stoick nodded, and glanced at Jack.

“You want me to come?” Jack asked.

“Whatever,” Hiccup said.

“I’ll go,” Jack told Stoick. “To keep an eye on him.”

Stoick nodded, then turned and waved his arms at the village. “Alright, everybody, the theatre’s over. Go back to your jobs. Spare foot, anybody?”

Jack followed Hiccup into the stable and watched as he aggressively saddled Toothless, who gave him a concerned gurgle.

Toothless glared at Jack, then jerked his head towards Hiccup.

Jack held up his hands. “Alright, Toothless. Hiccup, where are we going?”

“Lake, I guess,” Hiccup said. “It’s close.”

“Let’s go onto the cliff behind it,” Jack said. “The view is great this time of day.”

“Whatever.” Hiccup mounted Toothless. “Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“Please ride Toothless with me.”

Jack vaulted onto Toothless in front of Hiccup. “My pleasure,” he said.

 

~

 

Hiccup didn’t say anything the whole way to the island. He leaned forward to grip the saddle so his chin was resting on Jack’s shoulder and his chest was pressed against Jack’s back.

Jack indicated to Toothless where to land, and Toothless brought them down in a clear patch near the back of the island.

Hiccup unclipped his foot and jumped off, to give Toothless a scratch.

“Thanks, bud,” he said quietly.

Jack crossed his legs and leaned on his staff. “Hic?”

“Ugh,” Hiccup said. “Sorry.”

“What?” Jack waved a hand. “Don’t apologise! Everyone gets mad sometimes.”

Hiccup dropped his head onto Toothless’s neck.

“I have to ask, though,” Jack said. “The leg he was holding … did you kick him with your metal foot, or…?”

“I, uh, might have,” Hiccup said. “Oh, Odin. What if I broke something?”

“He probably deserved it,” Jack said. “Besides, if your foot wasn’t strapped on properly, so it probably didn’t have quite that much force behind it.”

Hiccup nodded miserably. “I guess we’ll find out when we go back.”

“Yeah,” Jack said. “Hey, no hurry, though. I think between you and your Dad, he’ll be pretty glad not to see you again for a while.”

Hiccup groaned. “Jack, why do you try to help?”

Jack chuckled. “Something about being a Guardian, I guess. So … what happened?”

“I guess he just … Ugh. I don’t know. Francesca was translating, at first it was fun. I was looking at the design, he was explaining everything to me. We were drawing designs for each other, it was great. Then … he started explaining how the new thing would be better than this one,” Hiccup said, gesturing down. “It stung, but at first I thought I was overreacting – I mean, technology had advanced, so it probably was better in a lot of ways.”

“Doesn’t mean he had to phrase it like that,” Jack said. “He must have been pretty insensitive about it to get through to you.”

Hiccup ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe. I asked him about Hiccup’s saddle, and he said he couldn’t work that into the design, so I asked if I could take a look and figure something out. Then he asked to see the foot, so I stuck it on the table and he started to tell me how making it work with Toothless’s saddle had weakened the design, and my balance was probably off because the foot part was so small, and how the new leg would “make my limp nearly unnoticeable” and he’d even help redesign Toothless’s saddle for me.”

Jack winced. Hiccup had started pacing. His voice was still calm, but his hands were waving around, agitated. Toothless growled.

“He asked if he could take it off,” Hiccup continued, “so I said yes, but while he was doing it, he said something about how difficult it must have been managing with this foot all these years.”

“What an asshole,” Jack said. “Please tell me that was when you kicked him.”

“That’s when I kicked him,” Hiccup confirmed and dropped his hands. “I don’t … Maybe …” He made a disgusted noise and threw his hands up. “I know his foot is probably better and this foot makes me limp and he’s got better materials and five hundred years of design behind him, but I just …” Hiccup clenched his hands and released them. “How dare he? I’ve made every single one of my feet except the first one. And then he just comes in and, oh, this one’s _worthless_ , we’ll make a new one for you and you never have to worry about it again, just let us do everything for you?”

Hiccup stopped, breathing heavily. Toothless nudged his hand gently, and Hiccup let out a long breath, patting Toothless’s nose.

Jack grabbed both of Hiccup’s shoulders. “Hey,” he said. “You didn’t deserve that. He’s a jerk. Can he make his feet double as ice skates? I think not.”

Hiccup smiled and wrapped his arm around Jack’s waist, pulling Jack close. “I’m still angry,” he said.

“I know,” Jack said. “I’m angry for you, too.”

“Really?” Hiccup asked. “Last time I saw you angry, you buried a cave in ice just in case.”

“I’d bury him in ice if you wanted me to. Up to his neck, the full thing, you name it.”

“I’m a little honoured. You said something about a view?”

“It’s right over there,” Jack said.

Jack sat down with his legs dangling over the cliff, and patted the grass next to him. Instead, Hiccup sat down behind him, and pulled Jack into his lap.

“Hey,” Jack said. “Don’t tell me you’re worried about me falling off the cliff.” He turned around to give Hiccup a grin.

Toothless _gronked_ and curled up around both of them, resting his tail over Jack’s legs.

“You’re going to make Toothless feel left out,” Hiccup said.

“Oh.” Jack patted Toothless on the head. “Sorry, Toothless.”

Toothless gurgled and nuzzled up to Jack’s leg, so Jack took that as a sign he was forgiven.

Hiccup shifted, patting his pockets. He’d started wearing his modern clothes more often now, and Jack highly suspected it was because of the pockets he’d requested in everything.

“What?”

“Damn,” Hiccup said, pulling out a ballpoint pen. “I brought this, but I forgot my notebook.”

“What are you inventing now?” Jack asked.

“Nothing,” Hiccup said. “I like drawing. It’s relaxing.” He paused. “This thing draws on skin.”

“They do,” Jack said. “When did you make this discovery?”

“The other day when I needed to jot something down,” Hiccup said. “This is going to sound very strange, but can I borrow your arm?”

“Um. Do I have to?”

“I’m going to say ‘yes’.”

Jack sighed, and started shoving his sleeve up. “Fine. But only because people were being assholes to you.”

Hiccup took hold of Jack’s arm and started sketching with the pen. Jack tried not to squirm away from the odd sensation.

“What are you drawing?” he asked after a while.

“A dragon,” Hiccup said.

Jack burst out laughing.

“What? Hold still!”

“I should have guessed,” Jack said. “You’re such a dork.”

“I said hold still, or I’ll draw it on your face instead.”

“I’m trying!”

Jack watched Hiccup work for a while, slowly growing to enjoy the feeling of the pointy pen on his skin, and letting Hiccup adjust him into the right position.

“There!” Hiccup said.

Jack looked the picture over. “It’s Toothless,” he said.

Hiccup chuckled. “What, you think Toothless would really let me draw any other dragon when he’s sitting right here?”

“Point taken. Now watch the ocean and pretend we’re a normal couple for a while.”

After about five minutes, Hiccup asked, “You’re asleep, aren’t you?”

“No!” Jack said.

“I’ve never seen you sit still for this long unless you were asleep.”

“Well, maybe the smell of sweat and dragon has started to seem comforting,” Jack said.

Hiccup froze for a moment and it was all Jack could do not to laugh out loud. Hiccup was far too easy to tease.

“Let’s go somewhere,” Jack said suddenly.

“Where?”

“I promised to take you to a movie,” Jack said. “Let’s go. With Toothless, we can get there and back before nightfall. Nobody’s expecting you back at the village for a while yet. They won’t worry unless you stay out all night or something.”

“A movie?” Hiccup asked apprehensively.

“Yeah,” Jack said. “Like I told you about in the boat.”

“You didn’t really tell us anything,” Hiccup pointed out. “You just said we’d ‘find out’.”

Oh, yeah. Hiccup was right. Jack thought for a moment about how to explain it.

“You know when we were at breakfast, and I took that video of everyone trying coffee?”

Hiccup nodded.

“A movie is like that, only they have much better cameras, and they’re supposed to tell a story, like with characters and villains and all that.”

Hiccup still didn’t look particularly enthusiastic. “Can’t we just go flying?” he asked.

Jack swiveled around so he was facing Hiccup. “Come on! I promise you’ll enjoy it. It’s relaxing, you just sit in a room and watch pictures on a screen. Just like listening to Gobber tell stories in the Hall.”

Hiccup sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “Alright. You win. Take me to a ‘movie’. At least it’ll distract me.”

Jack grinned and jumped up off Hiccup’s lap. “Ready to go for a flight, boy?” he asked, scratching Toothless under the chin. Toothless gurgled happily.

Hiccup stood up and stretched. “Just let me drop by and get something from the hut first. If we go quickly, maybe we can get you that new hoodie on the way.”

Jack flapped the loose sleeves of Hiccup’s shirt and asked with exaggerated innocence, “Why, what’s wrong with this?”

Hiccup tugged on the collar, straightening it. “You look like a talking fishbone.”


	43. The Movies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack has no sense of shame pass it on.  
> And yes I am channeling the fandom here, thanks for noticing.

Jack muttered as he flipped through the piles of hoodies.

“In my size. Blue,” he said. “Is that too much to ask?”

“Sorry, sir, we’re about to close,” the assistant said. “I can order something in, if you …”

“Hah!” Jack shouted, holding it up.

“… want. What were you looking for, sir?”

Hiccup pointed to Jack. “I’m here with him,” he said in English.

“And I,” Jack said, “Will take this hoodie.” He passed it to her with the cash.

She rang up the purchase. “Would you like a bag?”

“No, thanks.”

She handed the hoodie over. “Um, sir, are you … not wearing shoes?”

“Nope,” Jack said, waving as they left the store.

“I’m getting really tired of having to do that,” Hiccup muttered, as Jack started to pull off his shirt. He grabbed the hoodie off Jack.

“Hey!”

“Not yet. When’s the movie?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Do we have fifteen minutes or so?”

“Probably.”

“Then let’s find somewhere to sit.”

Jack found them a bench in the park and sat down on it, legs crossed and leaning on his staff.

“Alright,” he said. “What’s going to take fifteen minutes?”

“On the condition you close your eyes,” Hiccup told him.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Alright,” he said. “What’s going to take fifteen minutes, and I’m not allowed to see it?”

“The whole point of you closing your eyes is that it’s a surprise,” Hiccup said. “Just do it for me?”

Jack obediently closed his eyes. He heard Hiccup pull something out, then the sound of cloth, and then a rhythmic noise he couldn’t quite place.

“This is going to get really boring unless you talk to me,” Jack said, resting his head on his hand.

“Sorry. I’m trying to hurry.”

“You better not be ruining my new hoodie.”

“Of course not!” Hiccup said. “If I’d wanted to ruin one, I’d have ruined the old one. Whoops, but you beat me to that.”

“Astrid beat you to that,” Jack corrected. “And her minion, Ruffnut.”

“Don’t let Ruffnut hear you say that.”

Jack waited patiently, resisting the urge to take just a peek, for what he judged must have been about five minutes.

“Are you nearly done yet?”

“Jack, it’s been thirty seconds. Go find out the movie time if you’re that bored.”

Jack grumbled, but sat and waited while Hiccup finished whatever it was he was doing.

“Alright,” Hiccup said, finally. “Open them!”

Jack did. Hiccup had sewn a sheet of red cloth inside the hood.

“Back in Berk,” Hiccup said, “They call that ‘a bit of Hiccup flair thrown in’.”

“Such a dork,” Jack said, smiling despite his best efforts. “So, I match Toothless now?”

“You got me,” Hiccup said. “I colour-code everyone I love.”

“And you chose to do it in red?”

“That’s what you colour-coded your last hoodie,” Hiccup said. “I thought you’d like it!”

“I was _bleeding_ from the _face_!” Jack protested as he put the hoodie on. “Come on, let’s just go watch a movie.”

 

~

 

Jack chose a movie mostly at random and based on the trailers playing in the entrance area. Hiccup tried not to openly gape at everything in the area as he joined Jack in the ticket queue, to point Jack out to the server when they got to the front of the line.

“I’m not going to understand a thing,” he said, looking at the trailer. “What is that? What’s going on?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Jack said. “It’s a trailer. It’s little pieces of a movie shown so that you know what the movie will be like and you can decide whether to watch it. Nobody really understands them.” He shook a paper bucket at Hiccup. “I got popcorn.”

“What in Odin’s name is popcorn?”

“Delicious. Try a bit.”

Hiccup took a piece and put it in his mouth. “That’s really salty,” he said. “And … I don’t recognise the other flavor, but it’s familiar?”

“Buttery,” Jack filled in for him.

Hiccup muttered something and scuffed the carpet with his shoe. “I understand nothing here.”

“That’s fine.” Jack led Hiccup over to a soft couch in the lobby to wait for the movie.

“How am I going to understand the movie?” Hiccup asked.

Jack waved a hand. “Nobody notices me even when I’m talking,” he said. “We’ll sit in the back and I’ll translate for you. No big deal.”

Hiccup sighed and sat next to him, reaching for more popcorn. “This is why you wanted to take just me to the movies, isn’t it?” Hiccup asked.

“It _is_ easier to translate for just one,” Jack said. He scooched closer to Hiccup, taking his hand and kissing him on the cheek. “Among other reasons.”

There was a gasp from somewhere nearby. Jack and Hiccup both turned. There were a group of three girls very hurriedly pretending they weren’t watching the couple. Hiccup pulled his hand away like he’d been stung, and buried his face in his hands.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” the girl on the right said. “Um. Shit, how do you apologise in Norwegian?”

“I speak English,” Jack said. “It’s OK. He’s pretty cute. I get it.”

The middle girl blushed furiously. The one on the left said, “You sound American! How did you two …”

“Why do you insist on asking the worst questions?” the girl in the middle hissed.

“I studied abroad a few years back. My parents always told me I should bring back souvenirs, but I really don’t think this is what they expected.”

“Jack, I don’t speak enough English for you to embarrass me like this,” Hiccup said, face still in his hands.

“Think of it as practice!” Jack said. “Go on, say something!”

Hiccup looked up. “Um,” he said. “Hi. Please like your movie?”

“He has the cutest accent,” the girl on the left said softly. The middle girl grabbed both of her friend’s arms and dragged them away.

Jack chuckled and looked at Hiccup. “That was _perfect_ ,” he said.

“I’m never speaking English again,” Hiccup said.

Jack looked at the clock on the wall. “Whoops. Movie’s about to start.”

“Is it supposed to be this dark?” Hiccup asked as they settled in.

“Oh, yes,” Jack said. “It’ll get darker. Don’t worry.”

“What’s this music?”

Jack put his head to one side. “LMFAO, I think.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“It’s a band. The name is based on a joke about … oh, that’ll take hours to explain.”

Hiccup sighed. “Great, just like everything else. Just give me more popcorn and translate the lyrics for me.”

Jack did.

When the song was over, Hiccup looked at him as if he’d just grown an extra head.

“That’s not a song,” he said. “I don’t know what that is, but that’s not a song.”

Jack laughed. “It’s for dancing to, not listening to.”

“Then _why is it playing in a place where we’re supposed to sit down and do nothing?_ ”

Jack couldn’t help it. He dissolved into laughter. Hiccup had to grab the popcorn off him to keep him from spilling it.

Hiccup leaned back and let out a long breath. “The future has a lot of explaining to do,” he muttered.

And then the ads started.

For the whole movie, Hiccup leaned back in the seat, mesmerized, as Jack muttered the translations in his ear, and tried to avoid being headbutted in the face when Hiccup jumped at the special effects.

 

~

 

Walking out of the theatre, Hiccup was silent, right out onto the street. The sun was nearly set. Jack liked that feeling, that realization of how much time had passed as you left the theatre. Jack snapped at least three pictures of Hiccup’s shocked face before Hiccup noticed.

“Jack, put the camera down,” Hiccup said.

“Aw,” Jack said, but he turned it off and put it in his pocket. “Well? How was that?”

Hiccup didn’t respond for a moment. Then he said, “I need to know how they did most of the tricks to make that look real.”

Jack laughed. “I told you you’d love it! You’re a tinkerer, Hic. I need to teach you how to use Wikipedia, first chance I get.”

Hiccup sighed. “Jack, what’s Wikipedia?”

“Lies, mostly. But also one of the best sources of information around nowadays.” Jack grinned.

Hiccup pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jack, you have to stop answering questions with jokes. It’s not helpful.”

“Heh. Sorry. It’s a …”

“Actually, tell me later,” Hiccup said quickly.

Jack glanced over. Hiccup wasn’t smiling. “Hic?”

“Hm?”

“You alright?”

“Yeah,” Hiccup said. “Just tired. Let’s get back to Berk.”

“You don’t have to say you liked the movie just to make me happy,” Jack said. “You know that, right?”

“It’s not that,” Hiccup said. “Look, Jack … I appreciate you bringing me out here to try and cheer me up. But this …” he waved his hands vaguely around. “It’s big, and it’s new and it’s so unfamiliar.” He kicked at the asphalt under his feet. “Jack, I don’t even know what I’m walking on right now! I’d love to go to another movie with you someday, but this evening … I wish we’d just gone flying.”

Jack fiddled with the curve of his staff. “I didn’t listen to you at all earlier, did I?”

“Not … really.”

“I’m sorry. I was so excited to show you everything, I got carried away. I guess I was kind of an ass.”

“Kind of. But it’s OK. Let’s go back to Berk, and we’ll try the movie thing again another day.”

“Sure.”

They walked in silence for a while.

“Hey,” Hiccup said, as they reached the park where they’d left Toothless. “I think you’re forgetting something.”

“Hm?” Jack ran through the possibilities in his head. Hoodie on, staff in his hand … he hadn’t brought anything else except the money for their tickets. Had they forgotten Hiccup’s sewing kit? “What?”

“I’ve been through a lot of emotional pain today,” Hiccup said.

Jack squinted at him. Hiccup’s face was blank, giving no clues as to whether he was joking or serious, but Jack knew him well enough to at least suspect there was a punchline coming.

“What’s a boyfriend supposed to do when you’re in pain?” Hiccup prompted him.

“Um,” Jack said. “Not be a jerk?”

“Idiot,” Hiccup said. “He’s supposed to kiss it better.”

Jack suddenly and all at once realised what Hiccup must feel like when Jack teased him.

“Oh,” he said, to give himself a few seconds to recover his train of thought. “Well. I have been lax, haven’t I?”

“Very.”

Jack let the wind lift him off the ground and gave Hiccup a peck on the forehead.

Hiccup gave him a Look. “Jack, what was that.”

Jack spread his hands. “You’re supposed to kiss the part that hurts! Emotional pain comes from the brain.”

“Oh, no. No, I know exactly where my emotional pain comes from,” Hiccup said. He pulled Jack close and kissed him directly on the mouth.

Jack pulled away and raised an eyebrow. “Hic, I think you have a problem.”

“I have several. Which one are we talking about now?”

“You just kissed me sarcastically. You have a serious problem.”

“My skills are inventing, sarcasm, and inventing new ways to be sarcastic.”

“No, we need to fix that,” Jack said. He grabbed Hiccup by the back of the head and pulled him close again. “Here. Let me kiss it better.”

“Bloody show pony,” a voice said from nearby, and Jack sighed.

“Hey, Bunny,” he said without enthusiasm, letting go of Hiccup’s hair.

North, Tooth and Sandy landed in North’s sleigh a moment later, causing a few startled glances from passersby, but no more.

“I hate to interrupt, I honestly do,” Bunny said. “But Jack, this is important.”

Jack frowned, then realized that something … was wrong.

“Burgess,” he breathed.

Hiccup frowned at him. “Burgess? You mean, where we …?”

“Yeah,” Jack said.

“I’m coming,” Hiccup said. “Just let me get Toothless.”

“Are you sure?” Jack asked.

“Of course,” Hiccup said, and gave him another quick kiss. “Let’s go save the world.”

Jack looked around just in time to see Tooth lowering her camera.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geddit because Jack says things that cause Hiccup pain I’ll show myself out.


	44. Agnes in Burgess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Knock Knock  
> Who's there?  
> Interrupting drama.
> 
> Sorry about the long wait for this one! I was reading through after posting the last chapter and decided I did want to change a couple of things about the ending after all. All edits are done now (for realsies this time!) and it's a clear run to the end.

Jack rolled his eyes, sat up on the tree branch and slid off. “Hiccup, come on the sleigh. We’ll get to Toothless faster that way.”

“You had better come, too, Bunny,” North said.

Bunny recoiled.

North crossed to Bunny and picked him up by one shoulder. “No time to argue!” He tossed Bunny into the sleigh, and grinned a wild grin. “Buckle up!”

Jack crouched on the steps of the sleigh between Hiccup and Bunny, who was already lying flat against the steps as the sleigh took off with a shout from North, then a jerk and a jolt.

“You just _happened_ to have that camera, huh?” Jack asked Tooth.

She shrugged. “Just happened to,” she said.

“She is making scrapbook,” North said over his shoulder.

Hiccup and Jack glanced at each other, then at Tooth.

“Why?” Jack asked.

“Is traditional!” North said. “Parents are supposed to embarrass children with _something_. And Jack, since you have nobody, we take up mantle.”

“Ouch,” Jack said, but it hadn’t really stung. He guessed he always thought of them as uncle and aunt, in a way. “Are you in on this, too, Sandman?”

Sandy quickly put his hands behind his back while images of innocence and confusion danced over his head.

The sleigh began to turn sharply, and Bunny made a quiet whimpering noise as the sleigh tipped nearly entirely sideways.

Hiccup looked down. “Change of plans,” he said. “Toothless came and joined us.”

Jack looked over with him. Sure enough, there was the telltale flash of red.

Hiccup shuffled over to the side of the sleigh, called, “Above you, bud!” and jumped off, arms and legs spread out.

Bunny twisted just enough to see over the edge of the sleigh, breathing heavily and muttering. As soon as he looked over, he immediately flattened himself back down.

Jack leaned out over him, on one foot and one arm on the side of the sleigh.

“He’s safely on the dragon,” he told Bunny. “You don’t have to look.”

“You’re perfect for each other,” Bunny said sourly. “Now sit down before you make me hurl.”

Jack jumped a little, pretending to try and get a better view of Hiccup on Toothless, momentarily holding onto the sleigh only by one arm.

Bunny made a gagging noise, grabbed his leg and yanked him into the sleigh.

“Jack,” Tooth said, cautioning him as Jack rubbed his leg where he’d landed hard on the wood.

Hiccup and Toothless performed a perfect roll over the top of the sleigh, making Bunny cover his eyes and moan, “Tell me when this bloody flight is over!”

Hiccup looked Jack right in the eyes and nodded.

“Faster,” Jack told North. “We have to get there fast.”

 

~

 

As soon as they were over Burgess, Jack jumped off the sleigh and swooped down to the village, ignoring Bunny’s sudden cry of protest. He landed in front of Jamie’s house and checked all the windows. Jamie was sleeping.

Sophie was… not.

He threw the window and vaulted in, searching around the bed, until he spotted Sophie, with half her blanket, face down on the floor and sound asleep.

He felt his knees nearly buckle, until with a sudden clench in his chest he realised that if it wasn’t her, it was one of the other kids. He vaulted out the window again and nearly crashed straight into Toothless.

Hiccup grabbed him by the arm and looked him in the eyes. “Tell me where to go. I’ll help search houses.”

Jack nodded. “Down the street, third on the left, red roof. Top left window. You’re looking for two young boys who sleep in the same room.”

Hiccup nodded. “OK. I’ll meet you there.”

Jack flew off to look for Cupcake. She was hard to see from the window. Was that her brown hair Jack could just see?

But then the lump in the bed turned over, and he was off again. The last two houses.

Behind him, the sleigh landed, and he could hear the others getting out and North barking instructions. He met Hiccup, who followed him on Toothless without needing to be told. Jack pointed out the houses opposite each other, instructing Hiccup to look for Pippa, while he looked for …

Monty.

Monty’s bedroom was empty.

“Jack, she’s here,” Hiccup called.

Jack shot straight up into the sky, scanning around the village.

There.

The lake.

Burgess’s lake.

_His lake damn it that was HIS LAKE_.

He didn’t care if she looked like an old lady, she had Monty. He dove, silently urging the wind to take him faster and faster until his hair stung his face as it whipped around his eyes.

Monty looked up from where he was being dragged. “Jack!”

Agnes looked up as well, eyes nearly hidden in her blue face, and raised a hand.

Jack grabbed Monty and tried to use his sheer momentum to pull him out of Agnes’s hands, but she was holding fast to the back of his shirt. Monty gurgled as the shirt pulled tight across his neck.

And then she let go with a screech. A boomerang had connected with her face and dropped her to the ground.

“Take him and go!” Bunny shouted, picking the boomerang up and readying the other one.

North was nearly there, too, swords drawn. Jack didn’t need telling twice.

Above the trees and far, far above the lake, he finally started to breathe.

“How’re you doing, kid?” he asked Monty, with a grin.

Monty whimpered. “What was she going to do to me?”

“Let’s not think about that right now,” Jack said, feeling a little ill just at the thought. “How does getting back home to bed sound?”

“What if she comes back?”

Jack ruffled Monty’s hair. “What, with Bunny and North back there? She doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Are … are you sure?”

“We’re not leaving Burgess tonight,” Jack promised. He reached Monty’s window and helped Monty through it. Monty sat on his bed and looked around the room.

Jack softly closed the bedroom door for him, and looked over the bookshelves on the walls. “Which one?” he asked.

“What?”

“Which one? You know, I find one of the best things to do when I have a nightmare is to put some music on and read a book for a while before I go back to sleep. It makes me forget all about it. What do you say?”

Monty nodded dubiously. “Treasure Island, please,” he said.

Jack pulled it off the shelf and handed it over, then picked up Monty’s iPod, scrolling through it. “Oh, hey!” he said. “Of Monsters and Men! This is the album I listen to, too! It really works for me.”

“Does it? Monty asked, pausing at the title page of Treasure Island. Jack reached over and pulled Monty’s headphones off the desk.

“Sure does,” Jack said, handing the headphones over, already plugged into the iPod. “The others are taking care of Agnes, so why don’t I stay here for a bit? I’ll just sit on the bed while you read. You know, just in case.”

Monty nodded, and settled back against his pillow with his headphones in and his book open. Jack half watched Monty, half watched out the window. He couldn’t see the fight from here, which was making him nervous, but they knew where to find him.

Hiccup appeared with Toothless outside the window.

Jack glanced down at Monty. The boy’s eyes were drooping as he read now, his head sagging and lifting up. Jack tiptoed out of the bed and to the window, lifting it up slowly, and put a finger to his lips.

“Is he OK?” Hiccup asked softly.

“Yeah, just fine,” Jack whispered back. “Just a bit scared.”

“Good,” Hiccup said. “Agnes is gone, and we don’t know where she is.”

“Hrm?” Monty asked sleepily from the bed.

“Just talking to a friend,” Jack said. “Agnes is gone.”

Monty climbed out of bed and came to the window. Instantly, all sleep was gone from his eyes, his mouth forming a perfect O of surprise.

Hiccup waved.

“You’re supposed to be going to sleep,” Jack told Monty. “But meet Hiccup, and his dragon, Toothless.”

“Dragon?” Monty gasped. “A real, live dragon?”

“Yeah,” Jack said. “And I promise he’ll take you flying one day if Toothless agrees, but right now he needs to go and make sure that Agnes is really gone, so get back into bed, OK?”

Monty glanced between them. “Jamie said your boyfriend took him flying,” he said hesitantly.

Jack chuckled. “That’s right,” he said. “I should have known Jamie would tell everyone.”

Monty giggled, then tapped Jack lightly on the arm. “Jamie said he was really nice, so we’re all glad.” Then he went back to the bed and climbed in, cuddling up with his book and music.

“What did he say?” Hiccup asked as Jack stared over at Monty, trying to process exactly what was going on.

“Tell you later,” Jack said, turning back to the window. “Look, I’m staying here till he falls asleep. Can you go check on the others? I’ll meet you at the sleigh.”

Hiccup nodded and took off.

It didn’t take Monty long to fall asleep. Once he was sure that Monty dropping the book onto his chin hadn’t woken the boy up, Jack gently pulled it out of his hands and put it back on the shelf, put the iPod aside and turned it off, and flew away, closing the window behind him and leaving a little frost pattern for when Monty woke up.

When he reached the sleigh, North and Bunny were still catching their breath. Hiccup was having a conversation with Tooth and Sandy, and Toothless was occasionally gurgling for head scritchies.

They all looked up as he landed. “Where did she go?” he asked.

North and Bunny looked at each other helplessly and shrugged.

“Right,” Jack said. “There are trees. I bet we can find the cave if we look.”

Bunny put a paw on his shoulder. “Jack, we need to come up with a _plan_ first. What are we going to do if we find her?”

“Fire,” Jack said simply. “We have a dragon.”

“Jack,” Bunny said again. “Think. We have a dragon. Don’t you think we’d have already tried to use it?”

“Well, did you?” Jack glanced over at Hiccup, who wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“We tried,” Hiccup said, and Jack suddenly realised that he’d had his hands on Toothless’s neck, rubbing the dragon reassuringly.

Jack felt a strange, sick feeling, like his gut had connected the dots but his mind hadn’t yet. “What? What happened?”

Tooth fluttered over and put her hand on Jack’s shoulder.

“Toothless did  save us,” she said. “The fire drove her away. But …”

“Not permanently,” Jack said, hollowly.

“Manny wanted Berk for a reason, Jack,” North said. “We must need Berk to solve this problem.”

Jack grunted. They couldn’t be wrong about the dragons … could they? “Right,” he said. “Alright. They’re safe for now. But we’re not waiting. We figure this out tonight.”

“Nobody’s arguing about that, Jack,” Tooth said.

“We go to North Pole,” North said. “Hiccup? Is dragon injured?”

Hiccup shook his head. “Not really.” Toothless gurgled.

North nodded. “Good. Hiccup, you and Toothless will follow through Portal. Bunny, you get rest of Berk. Take tunnels.”

“Got it.” Bunny tapped the ground twice with a foot and disappeared into the hole.

Jack climbed onto Toothless in front of Hiccup. North and Tooth didn’t say anything, or try to get him onto the sleigh. Hiccup wrapped his arms around Jack, leaning up against him, and said nothing either.

 

~

 

Toothless did not like the Portal. Jack left Hiccup trying to calm Toothless down and went up to the roof. The Berk riders wouldn’t be there with Bunny for a while, since they’d all have to get organised first, so he could afford to take a few minutes. It was late at night now, and the Moon was three-quarters full. Jack sat and looked up at it.

“Hi again,” he said. “Looks like we saved a kid today. I thought you’d be happy with that.”

There was a silence. Jack had long since stopped considering these silences awkward, but there was still a feeling, like poking a nearly-faded bruise and expecting more pain than actually came.

“You wanted Berk to be here for this,” he said. “And I don’t exactly know why. I trust you know what you’re doing. I guess I’m just hoping for a last-minute epiphany. You seem to be good at those.”

In the shadows across the room, a few images played. A dragon, breathing fire. Children, walking through Pitch and Agnes. Then Pitch turned on the child, but a dragon with its rider swooped down in front of him, and the shadow-Pitch disappeared.

And then nothing.

Jack looked up at the Man in the Moon, and couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry.

Hiccup and Toothless landed on the roof.

“They’ll be here soon,” Hiccup said. “North wants everyone in the planning hall.”

Jack nodded, but couldn’t answer. The Man in the Moon had told him something. Had spoken to him. Finally.

But he hadn’t understood a word.

Hiccup ducked a little and turned his head so he was looking Jack in the eyes. “Everything OK?”

Jack could hardly speak above a whisper as he said, “The Man in the Moon told me what to do. At least, I think he did.”

Hiccup wrapped Jack up in a hug.

 

~

 

When Jack told him that the Man in the Moon had finally talked to him, Hiccup had no idea how to respond. He knew that feeling, and he knew it well … but that had no bearing on his poor opinion of the Man in the Moon. So instead of saying anything, he wrapped Jack up in a huge hug, and just held him close for a while.

Jack slowly ran his hands up Hiccup’s back, and tangled his fingers in the material of Hiccup’s shirt.

“You should go and tell everyone else,” Hiccup said. “They’ll all want to know.”

Jack nodded, his face rubbing against Hiccup’s shoulder. “Why now?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Hiccup said. “But I know you’ll just make yourself unhappy thinking like that. Come on. It seems like we’ll have some planning to do.”


	45. It's a Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pfft, Hiccup. Who ever needs context?

By the time Hiccup and Jack headed down into the workshop proper, Bunny had brought the Dragon Riders, along with Stoick and Gobber, and they were gathered with the Guardians and a plate of cookies and fruitcake (both of which were rapidly disappearing).

“Ah, you found him. How is your dragon?” North asked.

“He’s fine,” Hiccup said. “Did we miss anything?”

Stoick shook his head. “We were waiting for you.”

“Stoick thinks the town’s future chief should help make this sort of decision,” Gobber explained. “I think he’s right.” He winked at Hiccup.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. Why did they have to bring up the future chief thing so often?

He nudged Jack, who pretended he hadn’t noticed. Or perhaps he really hadn’t noticed. Hiccup couldn’t tell.

“Are we sure it’s not the dragons?” Snotlout asked. “I mean … _dragons_.”

“The dragon got pretty thoroughly trounced,” Bunny said. “Just pissed her off more than anything.”

“But there was a prophecy and everything!” Ruffnut protested.

“Prophecy?” Tooth asked.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. “Whatever it was you all told Jack before you vanished Berk. These two got it into their heads it was a prophecy and they haven’t been sensible about it since.”

North shrugged. “Is not inaccurate. Was from Manny!” He pointed dramatically at the ceiling.

Hiccup glanced over at Jack again. He looked utterly at a loss. Hiccup tried to nudge him under the table. Jack glanced up and gave him a quick smile, then went back to staring at the table.

Hiccup very nearly rolled his eyes again. He hadn’t been asking if Jack was OK, he’d been trying to make Jack talk, damn it!

“Jack?” North asked. “Is something you want to say?”

Jack looked up, and leaned on his staff. “The Man in the Moon said something to me.”

North spread his hands. “Jack! That is great news!”

“Does it look like great news to you?” Hiccup snapped.

Everyone at the table turned to look at him. Jack put his hand on Hiccup’s shoulder. “Hic, it’s OK,” he said. “It was just a surprise, is all.”

Hiccup pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alright, I’m sorry. But you have to admit, the Man in the Moon hasn’t exactly been considerate where Jack’s concerned.”

Jack shrugged.

“Manny is … not generally considerate person,” North admitted. “But is something Jack has been wanting for long time, so is good news, no?”

“I fail to see what reason justifies …” Hiccup glanced over at the other Vikings. He didn’t know if Jack would be OK with them knowing about his history with the Man in the Moon, so he stopped talking. “Whatever.”

North nodded. Tooth said, “Jack, what did he say?”

Jack took a deep breath. “I don’t know,” he said. “I didn’t understand it.”

The other guardians glanced at each other. Sandy started to form sand pictures, but Bunny waved his paw through them. “Jack, nobody understands the Man in the Moon the first time,” he said. “I still couldn’t tell you what’s going on with all the shadow puppets.” He waved a paw vaguely. “As far as I’m concerned, that’s North’s job.”

Jack looked up at Bunny, who gave him a small smile.

Hiccup twined his fingers around Jack’s under the table and squeezed Jack’s hand. Jack took a deep breath and described a series of images, of dragons, and someone Hiccup assumed the Guardians knew, called Pitch Black.

The Guardians exchanged looks.

Hiccup watched as images floated above Sandy’s head – A tall, thin figure being walked through by a smaller one, a question mark, a dragon standing proud and tall.

“The dragons will make the children stop believing in Pitch and Agnes?” Tooth asked. “It’s probably the only way we’re going to defeat them …”

“But how are we going to use dragons to do that?” Bunny asked. “

“We know that dragon fire at least inconveniences them,” Astrid said. “But what’s so important about belief?”

“Belief …” Hiccup started. “That’s why nobody could see Jack last time. Nobody believed in him. So he was invisible, and people walked straight through him.”

“No way,” Tuffnut said.

“You pushed Ruffnut through me once,” Jack said.

Tuffnut glanced at Ruffnut, who looked vaguely ill.

“So, if we make the kids stop believing in Pitch Black and Agnes and the Nuckelavee,” Astrid filled in, “then they can’t do any harm. Right?”

“But how would dragons do that?” Bunny asked.

“If we get the whole village together,” Snotlout said, “We could just about blast them off the face of the Earth!”

Bunny glanced at Hiccup. “Is he serious?”

“Yes,” Hiccup said. “But that wouldn’t actually solve the problem, would it?”

“It would not solve problem,” North confirmed.

“Can we do it anyway?” Tuffnut asked.

Hiccup ignored him. His father was watching him closely. Gobber was looking up at the ceiling, like he was avoiding eye contact. Hiccup felt a sudden chill. Stoick wasn’t here to help plan. He was here to see whether Hiccup could make the plans.

Nerves washed most of the coherent thought out of Hiccup’s mind for a moment, and he looked away from his father. But he could still feel Stoick’s eyes drilling into the side of his head.

OK. Concentrate.

The dragons were essential. The Man in the Moon had confirmed that much for them. Belief was the key. Their enemies seemed to work on the same rules as the Guardians. So … what were the rules the Guardians worked on?

“What happens, exactly, if people stop believing in you?” Hiccup asked slowly.

“We lose our powers,” Tooth said. “All the Guardians represent something, and if the kids stop believing in us, then they lose the things we represent. Wonder,” she gestured to North. “Hope,” to Bunny. “Fun,” to Jack.

“What about Pitch?”

“Fear,” North said darkly. “Pitch Black is fear.”

“Right,” Hiccup said. “So what does that make Agnes and the Nuckelavee?”

“Also fear,” Tuffnut said. “Definitely also fear.”

“Sickness?” Jack suggested.

Hiccup nodded. “The Nuckelavee could well be …”

Belief. Belief, belief, belief. He was missing something. He knew it.

“What if we didn’t have to make them stop believing in Agnes and the Nuckelavee?” Astrid asked. “What would happen if, say, someone started believing something different about any of you?”

“I used to wear green,” North said.

“Red suits you better,” Tuffnut said.

“Different countries have different tooth fairies,” Tooth said. “I just organise them all.”

“So,” Hiccup finished. “What if the idea is not to make the kids believe that the monsters aren’t real, it’s to make them believe that dragons can beat them?”

“That’s … very cool and also really stupid,” Snotlout said.

Bunny shrugged. “Could work.”

“Would explain why we had to wait so long,” Hiccup said. “I mean, I get the feeling people haven’t really seen dragons since we left, right? Something happened and there aren’t any left? I bet the stories about dragons have changed since then. Maybe that’s what the Man in the Moon was waiting for.”

Astrid nodded. “Exactly!” she said.

North looked at Tooth. “Is worth shot,” he said, shrugging.

Tooth nodded. “You’re right, there are plenty of stories about dragons, and they do change over time. I’ll see how many I can make the children remember. Sandy?”

A yellow sand dragon swooped over Sandy’s head and he gave North and Tooth a thumbs-up.

“I’ll get right on it,” Tooth said, taking off directly upwards and knocking over her chair. “Let’s go, Sandy!”

Sandy floated up after her.

Hiccup glanced over at Stoick, and saw his father nod and smile. Gobber gave him a huge thumb-and-hammer-up. Hiccup scratched the back of his neck, suddenly embarrassed.

“What’s our job?” Astrid asked. “I mean, you’re not just going to send us back to Berk to wait, right?”

“Jack?” North asked.

“I’ll start with Burgess,” Jack said. “Hiccup?”

“I’m game,” Hiccup said. “What exactly are we doing?”

Jack grinned at him. “Got any rope?”

“Oh, no,” Hiccup said. “I’m not being responsible for your bad decisions. Getting rope is _your_ job.”

“Fine,” Jack said. “But you’re responsible for bringing a few extra dragons.”

“What’s this?” Astrid asked.

“We’re going to go see some friends of mine,” Jack said, a wide grin spreading across his face. “But they won’t all fit on Toothless. And Hiccup insists on rope.”

“Jack,” Hiccup said. “I know you get excited, but context is important.” He turned to the others. “Jack knows a group of kids in a little town called Burgess.”

“They helped with the Pitch Black problem last time it came up,” Bunny said.

“And we’ve taken a couple of them riding on Toothless,” Hiccup said. “But Jack likes to goad dragons when he gets excited.”

North rubbed his nose. “Jack …”

“Oh, come on, I had the whole thing perfectly under control,” Jack said.

“Uh-huh,” Bunny said. “Real convincing, Frost.”

Jack rolled his eyes.

Hiccup placed a hand on Jack’s back and gently traced his shoulder blades through the hoodie.  Jack leaned back a little into his hand. Hiccup, not for the first time, dearly wished he knew whether Jack was really happy or just very good at pretending to be.

“We’ll all go tomorrow night,” Hiccup said.

Astrid stretched. “If that’s decided, I’m going to go sleep.”

“Good idea,” Gobber said. “Sounds like you’ll have a late one tomorrow.”

“Can the lovebirds have their own room?” Tuffnut asked.

“Are you ever going to get over it?” Astrid asked.

“Not until it stops being funny.”

“That’s my cue to go check on Toothless, I think,” Hiccup said.

 

~

 

Toothless had settled down since his trip through the Portal, and was now quite comfortably curled up in one of the ground-floor rooms. The food trough was empty, but the room still smelled faintly of fish.

“Do you need a scrub, Bud?” Hiccup asked, checking over Toothless’s scales.

Toothless _gronked_.

“I know you _want_ one,” Hiccup said, and started scratching Toothless behind the ears. “Oh, alright. You deserve it.”

Halfway through the process of scrubbing dirt and debris off the dragon’s scales, Hiccup realised Jack was standing at the door.

“Hey,” Jack said.

“Hey.”

“I’m going back to Burgess,” Jack said. “I thought I’d come let you know instead of just, you know. Leaving.”

“Give me a moment to finish here,” Hiccup said. “Toothless and I will come with you.”

“You’ll be too visible,” Jack said. “Especially Toothless.”

“He’s a Night Fury,” Hiccup said. “Stealth is what they _do_.”

“I’ll be up all night,” Jack warned.

“Can we skip to the part where you’ve made all your excuses and I’ve refused to listen to them and come with you anyway?” Hiccup asked, crouching down to scrub under one of Toothless’s legs. Toothless made a satisfied noise and rolled over to give him better access.

Jack dropped down next to Toothless and scratched under the dragon’s chin, and Hiccup had to dodge one of Toothless’s legs as he wiggled.

“Bud, watch it! Look, I’ll understand if you need to be away from people for a while. It must be hard to get used to needing to interact with so many people. But if you’re just going off alone because you think you deserve loneliness or something, I’m coming with you.”

Jack leaned on his staff. “I don’t think I could ever get tired of company,” he said.

“Then it’s settled,” Hiccup said. “You ready, Bud?”

 

~

 

Jack was fretful as they reached Burgess, but finally Hiccup managed to coax him into picking a roof – one of the big buildings (maybe a library? He thought Jack had mentioned a library). It had a lip on the roof, which mostly obscured Toothless if he lay down and curled up, and it had an unobstructed view of the forest.

Jack sat down next to the lip of the roof, gripping his staff tight across his knees.

Hiccup sighed. “You’re doing it again,” he said.

“Hm?” Jack asked, only glancing up from forest briefly.

Hiccup sat down next to him, lifted Jack’s arm up and lay down with his head on Jack’s lap, then carefully draped Jack’s arm across his shoulder. Toothless curled up around the both of them, head resting next to Jack’s legs, where it could easily be reached by both boys for scritchies. Hiccup kicked off his shoe and unbuckled his foot, laying both on the roof nearby, and got comfortable curled up between Jack and Toothless.

“What am I doing again?” Jack pressed.

“That thing where you sit down and completely forget that Toothless and I need to arrange ourselves around you somehow,” Hiccup said.

“You seem to manage it easily enough,” Jack said.

“I know,” Hiccup said. “I just never know how I’m supposed to react. You keep coming and holding hands and leaning on me, but then when I want a hug, I feel like I have to keep invading your space.”

“I don’t feel like you’re invading my space,” Jack said quickly.

“So you say,” Hiccup said. “But saying it isn’t everything.”

“Sorry,” Jack said.

“I know it’s not intentional,” Hiccup said. “But maybe it’s something we can work on?”

“I’ll work on it,” Jack said. “Promise.”

“Thank you,” Hiccup said, and closed his eyes. “Now I’m getting some sleep, before you manage to wake me up again.”

“We’ll need to leave before dawn,” Jack pointed out. “So I’ll have to wake you up again.”

“At least I get a little warning this time,” Hiccup said, and went to sleep.

 


	46. An Excess of Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a late addition, but once I’d realised it needed to be here, I felt a bit dense for not writing it in in the first place

Jack looped around between and over the dragons as they flew to Burgess. Ruffnut and Tuffnut yelped as Barf and Belch wobbled at the sudden gust of wind. Jack stuck his tongue out at them as he drifted over their heads.

Astrid laughed. “You’re in a good mood today, Jack!”

“I have enough friends for my friends to meet my friends!” Jack crowed, turning a cartwheel in the air. “I’m in a _wonderful_ mood.”

Floating upside down over Fishlegs and Meatlug, he gestured with his staff. “Down there,” he said.

Hiccup led the others downwards, to the little clearing where he and Toothless had waited last time. Jack split off from the group, to where the others were spending their last couple of hours of the day playing around the lake.

Whatever they had been doing ceased immediately as soon as Jack touched down on the ice near them. Sophie flung herself at him and wrapped her arms around him in a huge hug.

“Did you bring Toothless?” Jamie asked immediately.

Jack laughed. “Oh, I see. Jack Frost isn’t good enough now you’ve found your new dragon friend. I see how it is.”

Jamie turned deep red and scuffed at the ground. “I mean …” he said, as the others chuckled at him.

“It’s OK. Toothless is pretty cool. I’d be asking to hang out with him, too,” Jack said. “And as a matter of fact, yes. Who wants to go ride a dragon?”

“Oh, me, please!” Pippa said, hand up in the air.

“Can I?” Cupcake asked.

Monty put his hands behind his back and looked down. “As long as there’s, like, a seatbelt or something…”

“You’ll be fine,” Jack said, nudging Monty’s chin with his staff. “Guardian, remember? If we’re not having fun, I’m not doing my job. Come on, this way!”

 

~

 

Jack strode into the clearing with children in tow. Sophie had demanded payment for cutting their dragon ride short last time in a piggy back, so he was carrying her, and the rest of them followed along behind.

“Everyone,” Jack said. “Meet everyone.” He tapped the kids on the head with his staff in turn, leaving little ice crystals clinging to their hair. “Jamie, Monty, Pippa, Cupcake, Caleb, Claude, Sophie.” Then, gesturing with the staff again, “Hiccup and Toothless, Astrid and Stormfly, Ruffnut and Tuffnut with Barf and Belch, Snotlout with Hookfang, and Fishlegs with Meatlug.”

“Jaaaack,” Sophie complained as she brushed ice out of her hair.

“Those names are so weird,” Monty whispered.

“Don’t be mean,” Jack chided. “They’re a little different, but they’re proud of their names.”

“Hello again,” Hiccup said in English, waving.

Jamie and Sophie waved back. Sophie scrambled down off Jack’s back, and ran over to Toothless, who lay down in order to be patted.

Jamie gave Toothless a scratch, and then started wandering around to the other dragons.

Spurred by Jamie’s fearlessness, the Burgess kids started wandering around to the dragons, except Monty, who took a few shuffling steps forward, then paused.

“It’s OK,” Jack said, guiding him forward with a hand on his back. “Hey, Fishlegs, Meatlug’s a bit softie, right?”

Fishlegs nodded vigorously, and started to scratch Meatlug on the back of the head. The big, bulbous dragon’s eyes rolled back in bliss, its tongue lolled out, and it fell onto its side, one leg twitching.

Monty giggled. Fishlegs gestured for Monty to give it a shot.

Monty sidled up and gave the dragon an experimental scratch. Meatlug’s eyes opened briefly, causing Monty to jump, but closed again as the scratching continued. Monty laughed and started scratching him with both hands.

Jack strolled around the group, staff across the back of his shoulders.

“Little help?” Snotlout called.

Jack looked over to where Cupcake was intently examining Hookfang’s face.

“What’s up?”

“Need a translation,” Snotlout said.

“Sure.”

“He looks like he could bite someone in half,” Cupcake said, and Jack translated.

Snotlout grinned and nodded vigorously. “Anybody you want, kid.”

Jack decided he would translate that to Cupcake as “Snotlout says that’s true. Careful of the teeth.”

Snotlout patted Hookfang on the head. “He’s a good boy, really,” he said.

Jack translated that faithfully. Cupcake grinned broadly and gave Hookfang a tight hug.

Snotlout put his hands on his hips and chuckled. “You pick good friends, Frost.”

Jack gave the best bow he could with both arms hooked behind his head over his staff.

A little way away, Astrid was showing Pippa the best way to sit on the saddle to guide Stormfly properly. Fishlegs and Monty seemed to have developed some sort of gesture-based communication, and Fishlegs was trying to explain his dragon cards to Monty.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut were already fighting over which of them was in charge of Claude and which of Caleb, horned helmets locked like fighting stags. Claude and Caleb were cheering and egging them on.

Hiccup was trying to deal with tying his rope to Toothless’s saddle while Sophie was climbing over his shoulders. Jamie was talking very earnestly with Toothless, who responded mainly with licking but occasionally with gronks and what, for Toothless, passed for laughter.

Jack chuckled. “Oh, by the way!” he shouted in Viking. “The kids aren’t Vikings and we aren’t initiating them. Scars are not a benefit in this case.”

“Awww,” Snotlout said. “I bet Cupcake would look badass with a scar!”

“Um, then what’s the point?” Ruffnut asked, momentarily distracting herself. Tuffnut took his opportunity and decked her.

“That rule goes for you, too, Jack. Ow. Sophie! Get down or take your shoes off!”

Sophie, who did not understand Viking, giggled as she scraped her boot down Hiccup’s face trying to stand on his shoulders.

Jack swooped over and picked her up by her armpits, putting her on the ground. “Careful with the shoes, Soph’,” he said. He leaned over Hiccup.

“Hic, you’re all dirty,” he said, brushing Hiccup’s face.

Hiccup flailed at him. “Get off, I’m trying to tie knots.”

“Looks like it’s barely a scratch,” Jack continued, as if he hadn’t heard. He planted a soft kiss on Hiccup’s cheek and watched as his boyfriend turned bright red. “There, better?”

Tuffnut made a gagging noise, followed by two younger voices copying him. He looked up. “Come on, Claude! You’ve known Tuffnut for two minutes, you’re supposed to be on my side here!”

“Save it for the bedroom,” Cupcake shouted, laughing.

Jack pretended to be horrified. “Where did you learn _that_ phrase?”

“I’m fourteen now,” Cupcake said indignantly.

“Yeah, but Sophie’s still innocent,” Jack said, dramatically covering Sophie’s ears. Sophie giggled and tried to pull his hands off.

Hiccup chuckled.

“What?” Jack asked.

“I don’t know,” Hiccup said. “I can’t understand a word. What could I possibly be laughing at?”

“If the next words out of your mouth are ‘your hilarious face’, Hic, I will make it snow right here and now, so help me …”

Hiccup held his hands up. “You said it, not me.”

Jack rolled his eyes.

Jamie chuckled.

Jack looked down at him. “What?”

“I can’t understand a word, but your face looks really funny.”

Jack threw up his arms. “And none of you appreciate this because none of you speak both languages!”

The children laughed.

“Translation, please?” Snotlout called.

Jack buried his head in his hands. “I’m dying of irony,” he told Snotlout, and vaulted up into a tree to pretend to sulk while Sophie finally left Hiccup alone, preferring to try and jump to catch Jack’s toes.

“Soph’, you’re not jumping right,” Jamie said, and came over to show her.

Pippa and Cupcake glanced at each other, giggled, and walked over, taking one of Jack’s ankles each without even stretching.

Sophie folded her arms and blew her fringe out of her face.

“One,” said Pippa.

“Two,” said Cupcake.

“Oh, no,” said Jack.

On “THREE”, the girls pulled him down from the tree.

“Wind!” Jack shouted, grabbing for their wrists as a gust of wind whisked all three of them off the ground together, Pippa and Cupcake screaming and laughing as Jack tumbled over and dropped them the half a foot or so onto the ground. Jack landed softly ahead of them, grinning at their breathless laughter.

“One of these days, at least one of you will learn,” he said.

“Jack, we should go,” Hiccup said, glancing at the sun.

Jack nodded. “Alright,” he said. “Who wants to go for a dragon ride?”

 

~

 

Jack floated in front of the dragons, just above them, examining their flight.

“All children secure,” he said to himself. Dragons in formation, wings out, tails flat.” He grinned. “You guys are unmistakeable.”

Hiccup looked up. “You’re talking to yourself again.”

“Did I say that out loud?”

“You did. And in English.”

“It’s OK,” Jamie shouted near Hiccup’s ear, through the whistling wind. “He talks to himself all the time. It’s funny!”

“Yeah?” Hiccup asked.

“Yeah! Sometimes he says things he shouldn’t say out loud. Like the time Pippa tripped on the pavement and he said –”

“Hiccup doesn’t know enough English for you to tell him about that,” Jack interrupted quickly. “We should be really visible from the ground, is all.”

Hiccup nodded. “Alright. How much longer?”

“Another half hour,” Jack said. “Then we’ll drop the kids off before they’re missed and go the other way for a while.”

“And then again tomorrow,” Hiccup confirmed.

“Right,” Jack said.

“I hope this works,” Hiccup said, almost too softly to be heard above the wind.

Jack floated a little closer.

“It will work!” he said. “The Man in the Moon said so!”

Hiccup looked away. Jack tucked his staff under his arm. “Look,” he said. “I know you don’t like him. But he _is_ always right.”

Hiccup sighed.

“So cheer up before I tickle you or something! Look how much fun everyone’s having!” he gestured back to the others. Monty had his arms up in the air and was crowing. Claude and Caleb were learning how to pull new faces from Ruffnut and Tuffnut. Cupcake and Snotlout were pretending to be leading some sort of violent berserker army on dragons, as far as Jack could tell. Cupcake had also brought ribbons and tied them to Hookfang’s horns, which Snotlout had only grudgingly consented to, and which Astrid and Jack had enthusiastically helped with.

“Doesn’t the fun make it all worth it anyway?” Jack asked.

Hiccup sighed, and smiled at him. “Hey, Jamie, Sophie. Who wants to see a trick?”

Jack beamed. “Hold on for your life, kids. Hiccup, I got them.”

“I know.”

 

~

 

After the flight, as the Dragon Riders and the Burgess kids gathered to watch Claude and Caleb try to teach Ruffnut and Tuffnut a secret handshake, Jack saw something out of the corner of his eye.

Pitch.

Hiccup was too busy trying to coax Sophie off Toothless to notice, and the others were quite distracted, so Jack slipped away.

“Jack Frost,” Pitch greeted him.

“Pitch. Didn’t think you’d come back to Burgess so quickly.”

“Well. Can’t let a little setback get in the way of a good plan,” Pitch said. “Right, Frost?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Jack said. “Setbacks aren’t really my thing. What are you doing here?”

“What, you think you could bring _dragons_ all the way from the past and I wouldn’t notice?” Pitch laughed. “Oh, Jack Frost. Dragons and I go _way_ back. Marvellous pets, don’t you think?”

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “What are you getting at?”

“I forget you’re all so young, sometimes,” Pitch said. “Believe me, I remember dragons.”

“What are you planning, Pitch?”

Pitch gave him a puzzled frown. “Planning? What, aren’t you sure that you’ll beat me this time?”

“I’m sure,” Jack said. “I’m just curious, is all.”

“You’re the Guardian of Fun,” Pitch pointed out. “I’ve always thought surprises were fun. Goodbye, Jack Frost. No doubt I’ll see you soon.”

Pitch grinned and faded into the shadow of a tree.

Jack stood looking at the shadow for a moment. Pitch was only trying to unnerve him. It was what Pitch did.

But it had worked.

Jack went back to Hiccup and the others, trying to shrug off the feeling that they really had forgotten something important.


	47. Belief and Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Think of the number of times you think I've written and rewritten this scene.  
> Double that number.  
> It's still more than that.  
> I swear to goodness this scene was the single hardest part of this entire fic.

The Berk Dragon Riders were having dinner with North when Bunny came in with news.

“Movement in Burgess,” he said. “Time to go.”

North stood up immediately. “Dingle! Clean table! Dragons follow, we take sleigh. Bunny, you come too.”

Bunny groaned.

“What about Tooth?” Jack asked, standing up. “And Sandy?”

“They will come soon enough,” North said. “They know to get Berk. We must start without them.”

Hiccup glanced at Jack. “The dragons don’t like the portal,” he said. “We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

Jack nodded.

“We’ll try and save some of the fight for you,” Bunny said, nudging Snotlout.

“You’d better, Peter Cottontail,” Snotlout said, grinning.

“Peter … Frost, what have you been teaching them?”

“Only good things, of course,” Jack said, grinning.

Hiccup started to lead the way out of the room. Then Jack grabbed him by the arm. “Before you go,” he said, and kissed him. Hiccup tangled his fingers in Jack’s hair.

When they finally broke apart, Hiccup had to take a moment to re-gather his thoughts. “Jack …”

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Jack said.

“Same goes for you,” Hiccup said, a little surprised.

“I’ll be fine,” Jack said. “Immortal Guardian, remember?”

Hiccup nodded. “We’d … better go quick.”

Jack grabbed him and kissed him again. “I mean it,” he said. “You made me wait five hundred years, so you’re not allowed to die on me now.”

Hiccup felt his chest clench. “I promise,” he said. He tried to give Jack an encouraging grin, and whether it was because he succeeded or just because he tried he didn’t know, Jack returned it.

“I’ll see you when we save the world,” Hiccup said, and ruffled Jack’s hair.

 

~

 

Together, Jack, Bunny and North gathered the Burgess kids into the Town Square. Tooth and Sandy arrived shortly after.

“All good?” Bunny asked.

“As ready as we can be,” Tooth said. A tick appeared above Sandy’s head. Then Sandy hesitated. He appeared to think for a moment, then snapped his fingers. A small stream of yellow dream sand soared away across the sky. Then the tick appeared again, but bigger.

Jack chuckled. He knelt down in front of the kids, and said, “Now, we’ve got a few things coming tonight. First is Agnes, who tried to take Monty. There will be something else as well, something more dangerous and scarier. Pitch might be with them, but, well …” He made a face. “We all know about Pitch, right?”

This elicited a nervous chuckle.

“But it’s alright. It’s just that we need to hold them off for a little while,” Jack said. “Because this time, help is coming.”

“Help?” Caleb asked. “Is it the dragons?”

“Dragons,” Jack confirmed.

“Like Toothless?” Sophie asked.

“Toothless will be here soon,” Jack said.

Monty and Pippa shared a glance. “Um,” Monty said. “Are we getting rid of them for good?”

“We sure are,” Jack said.

“What a rousing speech,” a voice said. Pitch Black sauntered over, followed by the Nuckelavee and Agnes.

The Guardians lined up in front of the Burgess children. North drew his swords.

“Stay back,” Bunny said.

“Yes,” Pitch said. “Do stay back. This won’t be like the last time.”

“It will,” Bunny said. “Mate, don’t you even …”

“Me?” Pitch interrupted him. “Oh, I won’t be doing anything. I’m just the Boogeyman, remember? Nobody’s afraid of the Boogeyman anymore. But Agnes? Good old Nuckey? They can do real damage. You remember the last time you and your friends tried to go against the Nuckelavee, Jack? How many of you did he poison, again?”

Jack heard the shuffle as the children behind him all took steps back.

“Well,” he said, leaning on his staff, and trying to sound casual. “There’s really no need for you to be here, then, is there?”

“No need at all,” Pitch said. “I’m just here to watch.” He stepped back, and Agnes and the Nuckelavee stepped forwards.

With a sweep of his staff, Jack froze their feet to the ground.

“Stay back!” he said to the kids. “And keep an eye out for dragons!”

The Nuckelavee’s horse mouth opened, and its body began to convulse. One of Bunny’s boomerangs hit it, and it coughed noxious gas into somebody’s garden. Plants near the fence withered.

Jack heard a whimper behind him. Damn it, where was Hiccup?

There was a crack and a crunch as the two monsters broke the ice, and started to move towards them. Then, a ring of metal as Agnes’s iron nails met North’s steel blades.

The Nuckelavee roared. Bunny dove as he threw the second boomerang. It bounced off the Nuckelavee’s human neck and kept spinning back to Bunny. Jack kept pace with the kids of Burgess as they backed away, staff at the ready to defend them.

Pitch, standing in the dead garden, took a deep breath in. “Fear,” he breathed. “Delicious.”

The Nuckelavee whipped its horse head around to Bunny. Jack saw it heave just as he leaped forward, flying on the wind, tackling Bunny out of the way.

His eyes watered, and for a moment, he felt dizzy as he stood up.

“Thanks for the save,” Bunny said, standing up and throwing another boomerang, then turning to cough. “Close.”

“Jack!” North called, and Jack whirled, staggering. Agnes had taken her opportunity, slipped past North, and was headed straight for the Burgess kids.

Jack leaped again, not so much tacking Agnes as just colliding heavily with her. They both went down, but Agnes was on top.

She pinned Jack by his shoulder, and Jack could feel the sharp metal of her nails on his face. His head swam a little, but he managed to get his hand on her chin and neck, and started to freeze her. Jamie was darting forward to grab his staff, but he couldn’t shout at him to make him stop. Agnes screeched at the cold, and with her other hand, stabbed her nails right through his shoulder.

Jack thought for a moment that he had screamed, and then he realised it wasn’t him. It wasn’t a scream. It was something coming from the air, fast enough to make noise.

A flash of gold above Agnes told Jack that Sandy had joined the battle. The Nuckelavee made a screeching noise, and a dream-sand whip flicked through the air.

“Right on time, Sandy,” Jack coughed.

Metal sliced above him, and Agnes flicked her hand. Jack heard Tooth grunt, but she held her ground. Every time Agnes moved to block Tooth’s swords with her free hand, it shifted the nails in Jack’s shoulder. His shoulder was coming apart, he could _feel_ it.

Finally, Tooth managed to push Agnes back enough that Jack could roll free. He rose to his knees, and Jamie gave him his staff back. His shoulder felt wet.

Something heavy landed between him and the fight.

Toothless _gronked_ , and Jack heard the Nuckelavee screech. The Guardians gathered on either side of Toothless, to catch their breath and regroup while the Nuckelavee and Agnes were distracted.

Jack and Bunny exchanged a glance. Bunny looked as woozy as Jack felt, but he grinned. “Haven’t seen a fight this good in five years, have we, Frost?”

Jack tried to grin back.

One by one, more dragons started landing. Ruffnut and Tuffnut on Barf and Belch, Snotlout on Hookfang, and then Astrid on Stormfly and Fishlegs on Meatlug, and then more and more of them, Vikings on their dragons, so many of them they couldn’t all fit on the street, shielding the Berk kids and surrounding the Nuckelavee and Agnes.

Toothless coughed a fireball at Agnes. She lifted her hands to shield herself and shied back.

But did not catch fire or run away.

Jack glanced over at the other Guardians. Bunny gave him a worried look in return.

Pitch strode over to join Agnes and the Nuckelavee, hands clasped lightly behind his back.

“Oh, that was very well done,” he said. “What’s that phrase that you used once, North? A for Effort?”

“Sandy, what is happening?” Jack hissed. Images flickered by over Sandy’s head. Jack thought he understood about half of it. Something about dragon legends? The image of the Nuckelavee being hit over the head with a hammer was at least amusing, though Jack got the distinct impression that Sandy was being sarcastic with that one.

Jack looked between the Nuckelavee and Agnes. They were holding their ground, that was for certain, but he could see in the way Agnes’s eyes flickered between the dragons.

“Dragon legends,” Jack said quietly.

“Hm?” Hiccup asked.

“Sandy said something about dragon legends … and about hitting the Nuckelavee on the head with a …”

“Jack, this is _not_ the time!”

“Wait,” Jack said. “Tooth and Sandy didn’t have a lot of time to make children believe. All they could do was remind the children of old stories!”

“I don’t see why that …” Hiccup hesitated.

“Speak up, that boy there,” Pitch called, pointed to Jack. “Why, I believe he’s got the right idea!”

“We couldn’t make everyone believe that the monsters were vulnerable to dragons,” Tooth said apologetically. “All we could do was make children remember that dragons are scary …”

Hiccup looked at Pitch. “So, the problem is that dragon fire doesn’t really do anything. All the children just believe that Nuckelavee and Agnes are afraid of dragons.”

Pitch shrugged. “Like I told Frost, you’re on a time limit. Nothing you can do.”

“Oh,” Hiccup said nonchalantly, shrugging. “Is that all? Well, dragons can do scary. Bud?”

Toothless crouched. His teeth _snicked_ out.

Behind him, an entire village’s worth of dragons bent low, wiggling tails. A row of fang-filled maws opened and fire gathered.

Jack honestly believed he would treasure the look on Pitch’s face for the rest of his life.

Behind Pitch, the Nuckelavee was hissing and backing away. Agnes was beginning to melt into a shadow.

“Don’t you _dare_!” Pitch shouted, turning first to one and then the other.

The Nuckelavee hissed again, and backed away further. Agnes was just about gone.

Pitch whirled on them with a guttural noise of frustration. “Fine! Go! Run away!”

But it was too late. They were already gone.

“Good job,” North told Hiccup. “Very intimidating.”

Pitch growled. Behind Jack someone dismounted from their dragon. Pitch started to advance on Hiccup, but then Stoick, axe in hand, stopped him with a hand on Pitch’s chest. “I think you’ll want to rethink getting near my son,” he said quietly.

Hiccup waved.

Then North was standing with them, swords drawn. “Or the children. I am thinking we are done here, yes?”

Pitch tried to push past them, only to stop dead in front of Sandy who, dream whips out, was grinning at him.

Pitch let out a long breath. “Fine,” he said. “For today. You win. Well done. Applause to the finer opponent, and all the due courtesies.”

Hiccup glanced down at Jack.

“What is this?” he hissed.

Jack shrugged.

Pitch faded into the shadows.

The Vikings cheered, but the Guardians took a moment to look around. A moment passed, then two, before it became clear that Pitch really wasn’t coming back.

Jack finally let himself sigh and lean on Toothless.

“Whew,” Hiccup said. “Sorry we’re so late … Jack? Jack!”

Hiccup slid down off Toothless and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Jack, are you oh Odin that’s a lot of blood.”

Jack waved him away. “Takes more than that to worry a Guardian. Honestly, Hiccup.”

Hiccup leaned his forehead against Jack’s. “Alright,” he said. “That was … too easy.”

Jack coughed again and gestured at his bloodstained hoodie. “I got poisoned. Easy for who, exactly?”

Hiccup ran a hand through his hair. “Gods, Jack, I’m sorry.”

Jack chuckled and wiped his face with a sleeve. “I’m only teasing. You did have a lot of help today. These things operate on belief, remember? Besides, they’ve only run off. That’s not the last we’ll see.”

“Great,” Hiccup said. “So what now?”

“I guess, keep working on the whole belief thing. Keep sending dragons after the Nuckelavee and Agnes when we can.” Jack looked around Burgess, where windows were starting to light up. “Explain the whole … dragons thing.”

Hiccup rubbed his forehead. “I don’t like this,” he said. “I was hoping we’d have this all wrapped up, you know?”

“Well, it’s a start, at least,” Jack said. “In the meantime, we’ll need someone keeping an eye out for us. How does General Hiccup sound?”

“Great,” Hiccup said. “Just what I always wanted, more responsibility.”

Jack ran a hand down Hiccup’s face. “It sounds pretty cool to me,” he said quietly.

“Um,” Claude said behind them, followed by two thuds and an “Ow!”

“Sssh,” Pippa said. “Don’t disturb them.”

“They’re _having a moment_ ,” Cupcake hissed.

Hiccup pulled back. “Alright,” he said. “Anyone with a dragon, we’re leaving before we have a _lot_ of awkward explanations. Guardians … well, Guardians can do what they want.”

Toothless _gronked_ and moved up to the children. Cupcake reached out hesitantly, and Toothless nuzzled her hand.

“Good boy, Bud,” Hiccup said softly. He climbed onto Toothless, then paused. “I lied,” he announced. “This Guardian can’t do what he wants – he’s coming with me.” He picked Jack up and put the Guardian on the saddle in front of him. The Burgess children giggled, and waved goodbye.

There was a flash, and Sandy unconvincingly tried to hide a camera behind his back.

Jack buried his head in his hands. “Sandy, I thought you were above all that.”

A huge sand X appeared, and Sandy shook his head vigorously.

Toothless took off, leading hundreds of dragons into the night.


	48. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who stuck with me this long – it’s been great reading all your comments and chatting to everyone! Hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> In answer to the inevitable questions, yes, I have some ideas for a sequel, it was just I wanted to float the 80,000 word version before I went for the 160,000 word version. I also have ideas for other AUs first though, so the sequel won’t be the next thing I post. Production has started on an Enchanted Forest AU I’m super hyped for, so I hope if you enjoy my writing you’ll stick around for that one.
> 
> Also, if you think I don’t have like, seven billion more ideas for short fics in this AU then you, my friend are sorely mistaken and I will keep going as long as Hiccup being puzzled by the 21st century continues to be funny, which will be forever.

Hiccup dropped his shopping bag onto the café table in front of Jack.

“Sorry I’m late,” he said, giving Jack a quick peck hello.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Hic. Babe. We talked about you doing three degrees at once.”

Hiccup chuckled. “Well, since I’m getting this all paid for, I figured why not just get the books anyway?”

Jack shook his head. “You still have to leave time for me, you know.”

“I know!” Hiccup said. “Trust me, I have a plan.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “What time’s your class again?”

“Three,” Hiccup said.

“Heaps of time to walk you there.” Jack stirred his iced chocolate and took a sip.

“I feel bad that you’re spending so much time with me,” Hiccup said. “Don’t you have anything … you know, to do?”

“I’m between seasons,” Jack said. “Still autumn here, only spring down South. So, until October, I’m all yours. Now, drink your coffee.”

Hiccup ran a hand through his fringe and grinned. “Oh, you ordered for me.”

“It’s easy when you only ever order the same thing.”

“The waiter can see you OK?”

“We always come here, so I think I’ve been promoted to ‘nondescript regular customer number eight hundred and fifty-six’.”

“Psst,” a voice said.

Jack and Hiccup looked down. Next to the table, Bunny was leaning out of a hole.

“G’day. Listen, we’ve got unusual activity. Think you can bring a couple of dragons to check it out tonight?”

“Can do,” Hiccup said.

“Anyway – ten tonight, meet you in Berk. Just the usual team, nothing special.” And then he disappeared.

“Told you saving the world would be a full-time job,” Jack said, and reached over to ruffle Hiccup’s hair.

“Everything is, these days,” Hiccup said.

“Finish your coffee and then I’ll take you to class,” Jack said. “Oh, we owe Burgess a visit.”

“We do,” Hiccup agreed. “Thursday?”

“Thursday,” Jack confirmed. “Now tell me about those books you bought before you explode.”

Jack watched Hiccup describe each book with that wide-eyed excitement that always made Jack smile, and drank his chocolate. Later, they would go and scare off the Boogeyman and his pals. After that, maybe they’d go flying. Whatever happened, Jack would do what he always did.

Enjoy the moment.


End file.
